About this item

Leeds shoegaze outfit Van Houten release their debut album. After the huge success of the lead single, ‘Coming of Age’, the band have been branded as a BBC 6Music’s artist tip of the year 2024 on Tom Robinson’s New Year’s Day show.

Reminiscent of artists like Deerhunter, DIIV or Yuck with an unmistakable Yorkshire edge, Van Houten open up a unique sonic world. A cavernous shoegaze affair, filled with woozy psych, sincere storytelling and a bag full of earworms. Van Houten have honed a truly unique, melding a 90’s & alternative sound & aesthetic with true pop sensibility, crafting their own blend of lo-fi indie, psych rock, shoegaze and garage rock.

‘The Tallest Room’ marks a brand new release from the exciting new partnership between Clue Records and EMI North, the first physical major label office to open outside London. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Liam says: It was back on a cold and dismal day in March when we first heard Van Houten's debut 'The Tallest Room' drift over our speakers and we've been hooked ever since. Beginning with 'Black And White', the Leeds outfit channels a mixture of Ulrika Spacek and Yuck to create this hypnotic and krautrock flavoured opener that sets the tone for the rest of the LP. 'Never Did Come Back' is a blistering shoegaze behemoth, whilst the likes of soaring 'Coming Of Age' and fuzzed out 'Only Wanna Be With You' propel the record beyond the tallest room. However the main highlight here is the incredible closer 'I Let You'. 8-minutes of pure bliss, strings and intricate guitar work, this is easily one of the tracks of the year. A truly wonderful record and one that I will recommend to people until the end of time - enjoy.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
Black And White
Never Did Come Back
Coming Of Age
Panoramic View

Side B
Note To Self
I Only Wanna Be With You
Head Straight
I Let You

Dinked 7” Tracklisting:
A Side: I Only Wanna Be With You - Acoustic Version
B Side: Panoramic View - Acoustic Version