My Name Is Ian have always worn their eccentric influences on their sleeve. So far, it seems to be working out for them. Their new single For Love is a burst of quirky disco-soul full of whimsical romanticism with a hint of sharp, British humour.
The group’s ‘prolific-and-terrific’ motto may be openly tongue in cheek, but it’s also an understanding as to what should be the benchmark for modern musicians operating within their own sovereign code. They’ve done well to deliver on their promise – with 18 releases in the last decade. Upcoming album Fantastic Company, releasing in June of this year is where the Cardiff group chose to take a longer route. Two years were spent on the writing and recording of the album, with the group finding themselves straying more and more into uncharted, unpredictable, indie-dance territory.
Indeed, it appears this hard work has paid off; the song is a happy hunting ground for groove, holding confident swagger with clean and sweeping guitar riffs playing out over a psychedelic buffet of funky-house tones and rhythms. The strength of each individual hook too, shows an unbroken focus on song arrangements and structure rather than just the technical and programming aspects of dance music. They’ve taken their time, and gone beyond their garage-pop roots into something not only more dancefloor friendly, but more dynamically intriguing.
For Love drops this Friday via Bubblewrap Collective on all streaming services. You can find out more about My Name Is Ian on their Instagram and Facebook pages.
