httpvh://youtu.be/b27lnIc5-eY

“Go and inspire with me”

With hints of Muse and The Buzzcocks slapped together against ethereal backdrops of meandering melodies, Diamond Youth may have been born in the wrong decade. Nothing Matters is a beautiful and psychedelic offering, channeling a wide array of influential forerunners. The charm of this record is that one can’t really nail it down. As mysterious as it is catchy, the 11 tracks lay down a journey before the listener, directionless but somehow safe. Its power seems to choose its battles, not revealing itself on every track but rather waiting for the perfect time to strike (“No Control”). The vocals fluidly diverge from muffled, low-fi indie stylings to up front wailing and back down to introspective whispers, easily reminiscent of Matthew Bellamy. Not surprisingly, Diamond Youth delivers gritty guitar work throughout. They tiptoe and excel at building tension leading to groovy crescendos, guiding the listener in through multiple emotions in a single song. Nothing Matters is a record for your floor, amongst friends, to dream during its lows (“Rip Tide”), and get up and dance during its highs (“In the Clouds”). This is musicianship and songwriting at its finest; dreamy, effortless, haunting and relaxing, miraculously all in a single moment.

Buy It, Stream It, or Skip It? Stream this album. Its inconsistencies may not be for everyone, but it will grow on you as a mix up of styles you don’t often hear.