When it comes to surf rock covers of pop classics, the margin between cheesy and cool is often very narrow, so Toronto’s UV & The Rays added a dash of psych and a pinch of Khruangbin to the six tracks on their debut EP to get on the right side of the line. We’re talking about Yuval Aberman (guitar), Tal Davidson (bass) and Micah Sky (drums) and their instrumental versions of Starman (David Bowie), Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon & Garfunkel), You’re The One That I Want (John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John), Jealous Guy (John Lennon), Happy Together (The Turtles) and Chan Chan / Maria Maria (Compay Segundo / Santana). Sun-kissed, laid-back and entertaining. But more importantly: the three musicians may have taken away the lyrics, but they actually add surprisingly creative twists in their music.
The self-titled UV and the Rays EP, produced and mixed by Micah Sky, is out now digitally (self-released).
Add to wantlist: Bandcamp