Trogons - Contina

Trogons' upcoming single Contina, out on April 25th, will have the audacious serial code XRAY001 as the first release on newly formed label X-Ray Recordings. On top of that, it's coming out in physical format as a limited-edition hand-numbered flexidisc. Combine that with its retrotastic catchiness and you've got a recipe that's hard to resist.

You'll have to choose, though, between the material delight of the two-track flexidisc version and the added artistic merit of the iTunes download bundle, which includes a third song. I've always been materialistic about these things, but the times, they are a-changing.

Pre-order now at Rough Trade

What's the Deal?

Well, you can check out Contina for yourself below. It's a wonderfully dischordant clash of late-60s, early-70s sounds that wouldn't be out of place in a record collection based entirely around that era. As a first effort, Trogons have managed to put together an impressively mature track, yet kept all of the energy of youth. I don't often pick up on YouTube comments, but 'kingoftheducks' sums it up well as "Nice and kaleidopsychedelic". That's a word I could learn to use more often.


As I said, there's an extra track in the iTunes bundle, which means you're going to have to decide which of the following you want to hear:

1. Contina
2. Protest Song No. 678
3. Where's My Sword (iTunes bundle only)

Who are Trogons?

Trogons are a new group, but they're by no means amateurs, forming in London phoenix-like from the ashes of other collaborations. With Gemma Fleet - yes, a girl - on vocals, they're already a step towards iconicness. I'm thinking of Lauren Laverne here, but any female lead singer will do - there's just something slightly awesome about a girl backed by boys.

Her boys are: Andrew Robert Doig on guitar, Phillip Edward Johnson on organ (again, not something you see every day on the track credits...) and Dean Hinks on drums.

The Verdict

If your musical tastes extend beyond the realm of Matt Monro, I reckon you'll be able to appreciate Contina. It's authentic enough to please those who lived through the turn of the 70s, while self-consciously retro enough to satisfy a modern audience too. I get the feeling, for once, that it's more about paying tribute to the great bands of that period than trying to imitate them, which makes Trogons sound in-touch, rather than out-of-time. Look out for more from these guys, and X-Ray Recordings, further down the line.

Pre-order now at Rough Trade