Autocamper Release New Single “Summertime” / “Ken Hom”
Out Now via Safe Suburban Home Records (UK) & Slumberland Records (US)
In the Spring of this year, we announced details of the double-A side single/cassette release from Manchester’s Autocamper. The release came out in May via Safe Suburban Home Records and cemented this outfit on the cards for single of the year. Fast forward towards the end of 2024 and the band returns their new cassingle, ‘Summertime / Ken Hom‘, available through the transatlantic partnership of Slumberland Records and Safe Suburban Home Records.
The release is described as the following- With buckets of melancholic charm and a cardigan collection that would make even Stephen Pastel blush, Autocamper are the perfect pop antidote to Manchester’s predictable post-punk machismo. Summertime / Ken Hom is their new single, effortlessly capturing the jangle pop spirit of the ’80s—without the C86 revisionism. Driven by a relentlessly melodic organ and a spare, scratchy guitar jangle, both tracks exemplify Autocamper’s fresh and exciting UK-meets-NZ pop sound.
Autocamper produces these melancholic masterpieces with this deeply threaded abundance of ethereal beauty, emitting from the jangly soundscape and the elevated pop-inspired vocal notes. All of these hooks can be found in “Summertime”. The release throws itself into its journey from the get-go, creating this solid soundscape that absorbs the audience immediately. Whilst the tonality gives this 80’s essence, the track very much feels fresh and this is a credit to the production skills on that almighty drumkit placed in the single at the forefront of the vision as the keyboard notes and guitar patterns surround the snare. The vocal notes and scratchy guitar peaks roll with the rhythmic push of this voyage, the harmonic pitches captivate the listener by adding further layers to the emotional appeal of the composition. Basically, Autocamper have dropped another essential hit.
“Ken Hom” commences with this complex intro that can be compared to the QOTSA take of the Romeo Void hit, as the instrumentation paves its way into the soundscape, the guitar feedback and notes give a real “Never Say Never” build-up. And then the jaunty keys and the deeper vocal notes join with the fast-paced percussion and the track shifts into this woozy world. The single may have a shorter time frame to the first single but by no means does this feel shorter, Autocamper has created this infectious ensemble that showcases the talents of these musicians and their ability to produce a track that feels reflective yet has this sparkling aura.
Summertime is the first joint release from Oakland’s Slumberland Records and York’s Safe Suburban Home Records. The track is available now and serves as a teaser for Autocamper’s highly anticipated debut album, scheduled for release in 2025- one we are so excited for!
https://autocamper.bandcamp.com/album/summertime
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