Ice Pops - summer vibes

Ice Pops 

Summer Vibes
self-released; 2017

​3.6 out of 5

By Corrine Cassels

Ice Pops is an alternative rock band based in Sydney, Australia. The lineup is not entirely solidified but the band was created by songwriter and vocalist Guillermo Caetano. Their debut EP Summer Vibes consists of three tracks influenced by bands like Franz Ferdinand, M83, Muse, Coldplay and Radiohead.

The title track “Summer Vibes” starts off with a nice drum beat and a mellow rock feel. The sound is almost surf-rock with a swaying sort of vibe. The vocals are a little odd with a Bowie-esque quality about them that doesn't quite fit with the instrumental accompaniment. The lyrics are about being young and free and having a world of possibilities open to you. The track takes a sharp turn halfway through into 80’s type dance music. The overall result was strange to me. I couldn’t quite get a handle on where they were going with the song. It just didn’t make sense and sounded disconnected.

“Keep Falling” had a more melancholy vibe with an interesting arrangement. As with the first track, something just sounded off to me, almost off-beat. I feel like it was an ambitious arrangement that just didn’t quite get there. The guitar solo was cool but didn’t fit. I really do like the intention of the song though, there were many layers to the sound. It definitely had a solid foundation to build on.

​The final track “Oceans Away” was about feeling lonely and being far from home. I liked the overall sentiment of the song and the unique vocal melody. Towards the end of the track, there was a drastic change in melody and vibe, similar to the first track. I think the intent was to become dreamy and nostalgic to go along with the homesick theme of the lyrics, but it ended up coming across as a little cheesy to me. I did enjoy the visual imagery and ambient feeling of the song though.

Ice Pops is an ambitious band with a unique take on alternative rock. Summer Vibes didn’t have enough meat on it for me to really tell where the band is going. These three tracks are a pretty decent starting point, but I think there’s much to be worked out and developed. I really enjoyed the multi-dimensional sound and dramatic vocals but I think a more solid defining sound will come with evolution and I look forward to it.

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