I Lose | You Win

VINYL FORMAT. Tracks: "I Lose" by Girls Names b/w "You Win" by Brilliant Colors. Girls Names formed in Belfast in January 2009 with their first gig booked before the duo had even played together. In their short existence, they've quickly streamlined their sound, forging a self-styled "disposable noise pop" reminiscent of the '80s shadow world of Black Tambourine and Felt. They've been prolific, too, honing their sound over the course of several releases, including an EP on Captured Tracks and a mini-album on Tough Love. "I Lose" represents the next step in their evolution. Marking the first time Girls Names has recorded as a three-piece, the track is driven by an insistent cyclical riff, punctuated by Cathal Cully's deceptively assured croon. A response to Brilliant Colors track on the flip, "I Lose" is charged with a confidence that belies its title, with Cully lifting two fingers to the past as he intones: "I don't miss my old life." San Francisco's Brilliant Colors have staked-out a unique spot in the indie music landscape, inspired in equal parts by post-punk DIY fervor and the spiky pop of C86 and early Flying Nun / Creation label output. Their 2009 album Introducing combined guitar buzz with dreamy melodies and rushing rhythms, forming a startling blend of The Dils and Shop Assistants. Fresh off the simultaneous release of singles on Slumberland and Make a Mess, Brilliant Colors have hit the studio again to record "You Win," this time with the estimable Ty Segall. Driven by an absurdly catchy vocal melody and the band's now trademark distorted guitars, "You Win" is another anthem in Brilliant Colors' ever-growing catalog.