Coronavirus. Corruption. Coronavirus corruption. Parties. A powder keg about to blow on the Ukraine-Russian border. It's almost as if the scene couldn't have been set better by Thyla to release their self-titled debut album.

For why? In amongst the gloom, the despair, the anger, and possibly hate, we're all feeling the ten tracks that comprise the album are a musical shot in the arm that really can't come too soon.

Though hailing from Brighton, Thyla - comprising Millie Duthie on vocals, Danny Southwell on drums, Mitch Duce on guitar, and Dane Hole on bass - decamped to Bude on the Cornish coast to record what became this, their debut album. Recorded in a DIY studio featuring upturned sofas and towels & cushions to aid acoustics, Duce and Josh "Hoagie" Harrison were able to capture the spark that makes Thyla a genuine one to watch.

One thing to bear in mind is that Thyla recorded this over one year ago - like many others, the Covid pandemic put paid to their immediate plans; however, you'd not think that this was the case. Not only is there the above mentioned spark, but each song in the album is imbued with a joyfulness and goodness. Taken as a whole, it's a positive album that contains hope and is an antidote to the way the world feels right now.

For example take the key lone from opening track Amber Waits - "Don't you need real friends?" - comes as a call to take advantage of your support network - and it doesn't come across as overly negative to digital friends. I'm not the only one who can call upon people I know online if I need to reach out, nor am I alone in offering support to those that need it.

Thyla

Early single Breath showcases a different take on their sound, from opening as synthpop number that gently evolves into a proto-stadium banger that never sounds too polished, or too sheeny. Yes, there may be a hint of melancholia when Duthie sings "I'm sad you're out of my life" but that is eclipsed by "I've been coping well/I'm good on the inside", and that idea of looking after one's self is the central theme of the album.

The childlike appreciation of the little things in life on Flush is inspirational and aspirational - it's a reminder that we're never too old for anything. For example, I like Transformers and have a little collection of figures. Mrs Closewatch calls them "toys". I call them "Collectable Action Figures" - but they are a connection to what I loved as a kid and they help me not to take life too seriously.

Gum has a groove that is inescapable and is undescribeably head-boppy. You don't need to know the words to appreciate the affirmation for life which is solidified in the following track Echo For Ingrid. Dandelion takes things in a different sonic direction by adding a motorik and krautrock inspired beat that is matched by a heavier guitar and bass wave of sound. It wears its post-punk influences on its sleeve whilst praising on often overlooked aspect of Second World War life in Britain - the taking up of industrial slack by females as the majority of boys and men fought on the front lines.

Thyla's debut is an impressive one for sure; one that cements the Brighton band's status as Ones To Watch. Its major-key dominated songs are a tonic to the ills of the world, whether personal or societal, with a message of looking after number one in the least selfish way possible.

The eponymous debut album from Thyla is released today via Easy Life Records and can be purchased here.

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