Carnivals are a psychedelic band from South East London who formed in 2015. After a few years of honing their craft, they earned their reputation from being picked up by BBC Introducing Kent and playing the Isle of Wight Festival, and creating an infectious sound which draws as much inspiration from The Doors as Arctic Monkeys. This is evident in ‘Leave It All Behind’, the band’s debut single. The track is a dark and psychedelic rager that oozes confidence and passion. The listener can hear the tight chemistry, topped off with a brilliant chorus that’ll invade your head.
On ‘Leave It All Behind’, Carnivals show what they’re all about, with a fuzzy bass riff reminiscent of The Last Shadow Puppets while the gruff vocal adds to the lo-fi production and dark atmosphere. The lead guitar benefits from heavy reverb, blending well alongside the main riff. The chorus is when things really get going, demonstrating the band’s songwriting talents with a crescendo of noise. Bassist George Brimble and drummer Harry Wood bring some impressive harmonies over Cal Green’s deep, powerful vocal. It flows superbly alongside the eccentric, post punk instrumentation, leaving the listener hungry for more.
For a debut single, ‘Leave it All Behind’ is a breath of fresh air, showing Carnivals’ potential and strong ambition. They’re a band with their own sound, a fuzzy cocktail of psychedelia and post-punk. If they carry on blowing people’s minds, they’ve got a bright future ahead of them.
Words by Ermis Madikopoulos