Sounds from the 1980s are all the rage at the moment, with synthpop back in the limelight more than anytime since the ’80s. Post-punk had a second run in the 2000s and has another one going now, with groups from all over the world embracing the genre’s dystopian edge and darker themes.
Witness, Saloon Dion, a newish five-piece group out of Bristol, UK. They are primarily an indie post-punk band but can have their synthy side as well. On their second single, “VHS”, Saloon Dion take those elements and add a bit of funk ala Talking Heads to their motorik beats. “VHS” is all the more impressive for how original it is, given it has many influences. Saloon Dion have a fully-formed unique aesthetic that promises an artistically rich future for the group.
Guitarist and vocalist Taryn McDonnell says that “lyrically, it was inspired by a scene in ‘Better Call Saul’ where Kim [Saul’s girlfriend] is flicking through a swanky spa/hotel brochure, raises her eyebrows and says something like, ‘You know what, Saul? I am luxurious yet casual.’ The quote seemed like a fitting symbol for the absurdity of advertising and the methods used by a company to sell their product as an extension of ‘you’. The rest of the lyrics are the monologue of a character who is essentially a representation of all these corporations, their advertising methods and capitalism itself.”
Hear this song on the PM Picks Spotify playlist.