Cymbals

There are a number of reasons why someone might want to start a band: fame, money, drugs, sex appeal. London-based four-piece Cymbals just wanted to have a bit of fun with some like-minded friends. "You get together, have a drink, write songs and make other people listen to music you like," they told Dummy magazine before the release of their 2011 Talking Heads-influenced debut album, Unlearn. If anything they seem to be having more fun now than they were back then – their sound having evolved from slightly scrappy punk-funk into sleaker, almost disco-infused house and synth-pop.
While last year's nine-minute long Like an Animal single seemingly covered every musical genre imaginable, they've streamlined their sound to perfection on the glistening The Natural World, which, as with Like an Animal, was produced by Dreamtrak, AKA Oli Horton (Teeth, Queen of Hearts). For the video – premiered here – the band called on singer Jack Cleverly's childhood friend and dancer, Jaime, who he'd known from his time spent in Paris. "Much later, I had the crazy idea of having him dance to one of our songs, and I'm a bit overwhelmed that we actually managed to make it all happen," Cleverly explains. "We talked through the lyrics and had long conversations about what they might mean, and Jaime built up the choreography closely inspired by the song." To be honest, we'd probably avoid trying to copy any of the moves yourselves, but the song's chorus definitely lends itself to some old school last-song-at-the-indie-disco pogoing.