Sydney outfit Marlophone have finally released their debut full-length album, Remembered Adventures in Widescale to much acclaim from this writer! The record was released via Defend Vinyl and Love As Fiction, with the album operating as an imaginative bridge between the concepts of memory and everyday magic that pervade this record so well. It also features several guest contributions from artists such as Sarah Blasko and Wayne Connolly, making for one killer record overall!
By Jane Howkins
The dream-pop vibes are apparent from the first track Nintendo Era Hero. The title is clearly a nostalgic nod to pixelated pasts, setting a vibrant tone to Remembered Adventures in Widescale. Chipped melodies and driving indie rhythms collide perfectly here, immediately establishing the album’s theme of cherished memories from the very start. Pencils Drawn at Dawn bursts out of the seams next with a crisp and creative pulse, pushed forward by the driving beat and palm-muted guitar. The track has a nice shimmer to it, also managing to maintain an earthy, organic grit underneath.
Then we come to I Promise it All to You, which is much more stripped-back than the previous two songs. Instead, the soaring harmonies are allowed to take centre stage here, making for a sweeping emotional weight. It all sounds really cinematic, swelling with romantic idealism when Sarah Blasko’s vocals emerge. If We End Up on the Run kicks both the tempo and the urgency back into full gear with a driving beat pushing the song onwards nicely. The rhythm section really steps up on this song, creating a restless musical journey that feels custom-built for late-night motorway driving.
On Beating Heart Waltz, the tempo is slowed down once again, making for a nice dynamic change after the previous tune. As you might have guessed from the title, this track has a waltzy beat to it, swaying delicately as the band’s softer, more atmospheric side is showcased to the world. I’m On Your Side is one of my favourite tracks on Remembered Adventures in Widescale, serving as an anchor for the record. This standout single perfectly balances big-room production with an empathetic, reassuring warmth, alongside a comforting form of vocal delivery and a set of addictive chords.
If you like your punk music, then Hold on Tight Tonight might be the track for you! It provides a much needed dose of momentum for the album, using the feedback-washed guitars to push perfectly against the beat, creating a thrilling tension halfway between panic and perseverance. Strings and Old Machines changes things up once again, this time leaning heavily into organic textures and an evocative sense of lyricism. It feels weathered, wise and deeply reflective throughout, making for one of the most thoughtful pieces on this record.
Romance Rearranged is another more up-tempo tune that sees Marlophone deconstructing traditional love-song tropes with clever musical arrangements, using an array of clever guitar hooks and subtle dynamic changes to really create a cool effect, before final tune I Could Hear it in Your Smile emerges. I Could Hear it in Your Smile closes the album out on a high note of quiet euphoria, stripped of excess noise. Instead, the song relies on a lingering, tender melody that ensures that this is one album that will stay with you long after the final chord fades.
In my own personal opinion, Remembered Adventures in Widescale is a triumphant and imaginative debut album that proves that the alternative indie-rock can be massive from a sonic perspective, as well as emotionally delicate. Marlophone has truly crafted a record that rewards active listening, accompanied by a palpable sense of style, heart and plenty of musical magic.
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