Drenched in feedback and white noise masquerading as guitar, claims that New Forgetting from Happy Families is one of the loudest debut singles for some considerable time is not one we’re about to dispute.

While it is true to say it is a wall of sound unashamedly built on the legacy of classic influences like The Velvet Underground, Suicide, Joy Division, Spacemen 3, The Jesus And Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine, this is no mere copycat shoegaze cut – underneath the squalls and shreds of noise there is a buried, but insistent vocal that carries an air of sweetly pensive sadness.

Happy Families is a new band formed by Lawrence Chandler (formerly of New York experimentalists Bowery Electric) and visual artist Lucia Rivero. The single is released on 7″ and download via Sonic Cathedral on July 15.

Have a listen.