Come To My World (A Brief History Of Indie Pop 1985-2023) is the latest compilation to come from Brighton’s Two-Piers label. The label specialises in beautifully curated and presented thematic complications and this excellent release continues their impressive hit rate.
What marks this compilation of indie pop out from dozens of similar sounding releases is the breadth that it presents. In common with previous collections of garage, French pop, shoe gaze and lounge is not being a purely nostalgic exercise. As well as presenting the peak period for the genre, the label brings things bang up to date. Where every other indie pop collection sticks rigidly to the mid to late 80s, this goes through the 90s, 2000s and includes songs released as recently as last year.
The song selections are great, mixing better known examples (Primal Scream’s ‘Velocity Girl’) with less known, but equally good, selections (Blueboy’s ‘Meet Johnny Rave’). The bulk of tunes here are British, but excellent US examples by the likes of Blake Babies and The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart are also included. Those that are nostalgic for Indietracks (and that’s us at Neon Filler) will be delighted to see Allo Darlin’ and The Spook School featured.
With any compilation there are ups and downs (based on personal taste and familiarity) but this is a pretty flawless attempt at capturing an unfairly maligned scene. This is great pop music with a lot more soul than it is traditionally credited. It is a wonderful mix of well-loved old friends and new discoveries, it really is a heartwarming listen.
I’m sure people will be quick to point out missing artists, or particular song choices, but that would be churlish. Getting around licensing, being able to contact long-defunct bands or labels, choosing tens of bands from hundreds, picking one song from each from dozens, it is a tricky task and a labour of love. That doesn’t mean there aren’t bands I’d love to see represented, but hopefully enough people will buy this and we’ll get a volume 2.
As with other Two-Piers releases, this is a physical only thing, with no download options (although they have created a Spotify playlist of the tracks). The vinyl release is beautifully presented with suitably bright colours of vinyl. The CD issue is, inevitably, visually less impressive but does come with a handful of additional tracks.
Any lover of indie pop, in its many forms, is advised to head straight to their local record store, or the labels Bandcamp site, forthwith and pick up a copy.
10/10
By Dorian Rogers
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