HMS Morris are a Welsh psychedelic pop rock trio set to release their debut album in a couple of weeks.

Made up of Heledd Watkins (vocals, guitar), brothers Sam (keys, backing vocals and bass) and Wil Roberts (drums), HMS Morris have won over the likes of Huw Stephens (BBC Radio 1), Clash Magazine and Bethan Elfyn (BBC Radio Wales) who’s described the band as “one of the best examples of how colourful our pop scene in Wales is”.

Interior Design is wonderfully visual and adds many unexpected layers to the band’s psychedelic sound. Guitar riffs, and pan-dimensional synthesisers dominate the album with tracks like ‘I Dream of the Diner’, ‘I Grind my Teeth’ and the opening track ‘Shipping Forecast’, which are complemented by Wil’s drum beats.

Debut single ‘Interior Design’ has a great guitar solo from Heledd that’ll ring in your ears for hours. The album isn’t all about the instrumentals however, as Heledd gets plenty of opportunity to show off her beautifully Welsh vocals, with seductive tunes like ‘Nirfana’ and ‘Gormod O Ddyn’, and we get to hear her voice particularly shine through in ‘Neanderthal’ with its stripped back intro and her use of falsetto.

The tempo slows later on and Sam’s got some epic bass riffs hiding in tracks like ‘From The Neck Down’ and ‘Gold’. The highlight of the album for me, though, is definitely the last track, ‘Shred’. It adds depth to the band’s sound and is surprisingly delicate, leaving a lasting impact on the listener.

Over the last 18 months HMS Morris have played BBC Introducing Stage at Glastonbury, Festival Number 6, Truck Festival, Canadian Music Week, The Great Escape, Wales’ largest music festival Maes B and Green Man, and they’ve just finished a UK tour. And this album only goes to prove they deserve all the success that comes their way.

Interior Design is out on 18 November on Waco Gwenci Records.

 

Melody Johns
@melody_johns

Photo Credit: Rhodri Brooks