Hydroplane – Hydroplane (LP)

Hydroplane – Hydroplane Hydroplane’s self-titled 1997 debut finally returns to vinyl: a quietly remarkable collection of dream pop, guitar atmospherics, tape loops and drifting electronic experiments from members of Melbourne’s The Cat’s Miaow. Originally conceived as little more than a one-off diversion, Hydroplane began with the single-sided 7-inch Excerpts From Forthcoming LP - a sonic collage teasing an album the group had no intention of making. Thankfully, the record followed. Working from a Brunswick flat with 4-track tape, manipulated samples and a borrowed Jupiter-4, the trio shaped soaring melodies, miniature instrumentals and soft-focus drones into a beautifully restrained late-night sequence. Kerrie Bolton’s ethereal vocals give the album its centre, floating through reverb-heavy guitars and strange Radiophonic Workshop-like interludes. It is intimate and homespun without ever feeling small; with an experimentalism that retains the melodic instinct that made The Cat’s Miaow so beloved. Though largely overlooked in Australia, Hydroplane developed an international following through releases with Drive-In, and Wurlitzer Jukebox and earned repeated support from John Peel, with “We Crossed The Atlantic” reaching his 1997 Festive Fifty. A cult Australian indie record whose blurred edges have only grown more compelling with time. Tracklisting 1. Wurlitzer Jukebox 2. Piano Movement With Percussion 3. Song For The Meek 4. I Hear A New World 5. New Monotonic FM 6. House Warming 7. 14th July 8. Reprise 9. Beloved Invader 10. Interlude 11. New Monotonic FM (Acoustic) 12. LDR 13. Send In The Clowns 14. Completed Extract From The Previous 7" RIYL:The Cat’s Miaow, Broadcast, Stereolab, Flying Saucer Attack, Galaxie 500 Format:Vinyl LP Genre:Dream Pop / Indie Pop / Ambient / Experimental Label:Efficient Space Country:Australia Year:1997 / 2022 Reissue