Another Pond

Melbourne’s not drowning, waving were a unique proposition. When they formed in 1983, the city’s post-punk scene had splintered, and the broader populace were drawn to pub rock and eighties pop-rock; there wasn’t much space for these small, intimate landscapes. Regardless, key members David Bridie and John Phillips pursued a singular vision: the sound here is pellucid, ambient, songs floating on clouds of texture, Bridie’s piano and voice like driftwood on an unknown beach. There are hints of the limpid production of the ECM label here, though the closest parallels would be The Blue Nile, later Talk Talk, or David Sylvian’s early solo material. Gorgeously unfussy.