Pastel - Isaiah EP

When your reviewer saw Pastel supporting Afflecks Palace in autumn last year it was clear they had the ambition and soundscapes to carve out their own niche, but the future was unclear.

One year on – with relentless touring, a clutch of singles and a prestigious opening slot on the bill at Knebworth with Liam Gallagher – much has changed.

Yes, Pastel sound undeniably like the 1990s, but they don’t try and hide it, therefore it feels churlish to admonish them for it.

Plus (and it’s not fashionable to say this) the 1990s were actually pretty good, and it depends on where you draw your influences from.

The five-piece have chosen wisely: rather than singing chirpily about fish and chips, Pastel have channeled something altogether more timeless, with this EP showcasing it comprehensively.

Isaish opens with wispy, dreamy strums of the guitar before singer Jack Yates enters with a vocal that sounds like a whisper across the ocean before bolstering his larynx to sound not dissimilar to Tom Meighan.

https://www.live4ever.uk.com/2022/10/future-pastel-isaiah-ep/