PREMIERE – Shiffley – “Up & Down”

It can be hard for bands without massive budgets to properly capture their live energy into recorded works. But this doesn’t seem to be a problem for Shiffley, whose single “Up & Down” is bursting with intensity. Shaune Killough’s toothy bass is a mechanical bull barely in your control as Alex Ganes’ vocal lines gallop along with indie-rock bluster, and Bryan Contreras locks it all together with tight, peppy drumming. Which is great, because it gives the synths (by Alex Jenks) a chance to get truly galactic, particularly in the final chorus before a well-deserved jam-out instrumental break. Be sure to finish your drink before this one comes on – you’ll want both hands free as you jump around like a maniac.

Some words from the band about the song:

“For us, “Up & Down” is about tension and release. It’s a song with patience that, at times, goes sinister. It came very naturally from a place of false indifference. The lyrics innocently inform themselves ultimately arriving at the conclusion, “I’m better off alone.” The instrumental build up at the end serves as a meditation on that thought.”