The companion piece to Wallsend Weekend Television, Taped Over by Novelty Island will be out on February 2nd. The psychedelic-pop project of songwriter and producer, Tom McConnell, Novelty Island’s 8-track EP is intricately crafted, drawing inspiration from Brian Wilson‘s unreleased masterpiece SMiLE and the medleys of Kate Bush and The Beatles. Tom, who composed and recorded the EP alongside the album over several years, aimed to capture the sounds of a late 1990s/early 2000s childhood.
Weaving hazy melodies and warped synths into an audio-patchwork of old computers, cassettes, and cartoon soundtracks, Taped Over serves as a time capsule, preserving sounds and scenes from Tom’s pas.t. Tracks like “Thinkin’ Things / Road Signs” reference his Newcastle-Upon-Tyne childhood while the lead single and EP finale, “1102,” adds a dramatic climax to this elaborate piece of modern psychedelia.
Tom’s creativity extends beyond the music; he creates surreal imagery for Novelty Island through papier-mâché props, dreamy animations, claymation videos, and a unique, never-ending Instagram account.
With Taped Over, Novelty Island continues their multisensory experience in sound and vision through poetic and psychedelic trip through time.
MUST LISTEN TRACKS: ”VHS, “Word Art”, “Lever’s Assemply”, “1102”
