Close harmonies a feature of Indie duo

In The Shallows is playing at the Musicians Club. Photo / Bob Zuur

Wellington-based Indie Pop band In The Shallows performs next Friday at The Whanganui Musicians Club.

Guitarist and vocalist Lance has worked as a touring/recording guitarist with Martina Topley-Bird (ex Tricky), with producers such as Johnny Dolla (Massive Attack) Leila Arab (Bjork), and has played a number of high profile radio, television and live shows throughout Europe and the US including BBC2, Later ... With Jools Holland, Montreaux Jazz Festival and SXSW.

Vocalist and songwriter Danni was raised in Wales, moving to Aotearoa in 2005. Once settled in Wellington, she went on to co-write lyrics with Mara Simpson (Mara and the Bushkas), who both performed in Wellington band Soul Caravan.

Danni also works as an actor/body double, in casting and as a crew member on international film productions, in television and theatre (Mortal Engines, Ghost in the Shell and Avatar). Danni also produces the music videos for In The Shallows, among all the many things self-managed artists must do!

The band released their debut album (2020) with producer Steve Rokosh (Calgary, Canada and Nashville, USA).

2021 was full of highlights as they made the Top 10 Live shows of 2021 list by Kev Rowland of Muzic.net.nz. Let's Not Start a War received a 10/10 review from UK's House of Prog, There You Are, released in December 2021 premiered on The Hits with Estelle, received a 5-star review from Muzic.net.nz and was placed in their Top 10 Singles of 2021.

Both tracks have been reviewed enthusiastically by media outlets around the world, including HappyMag AU, BuzzMusic LA and many other international blogs. 2022 began with just as much of a bang, with a sell-out tour and a signed publishing deal with Songbroker.

"Their musical tapestries are woven through with a golden thread of humanity — strongly relatable tales of identity and resilience, strength and fortitude. All delivered in a package so sweetly presented it belies some of the deeper and darker content within — reportedly causing a member of Looking for Alaska to lament having to follow a set of such happy songs (Happy, that is, unless you pay close attention to the lyrical content)!" says Rob Harbers, Ambient Light.

"An understandable misunderstanding though, given Danni Parsons' honey-sweet (but never cloying) vocals, strongly reminiscent of French For Rabbits' Brooke Singer, counterpointed with Lance Shepherd's harmonising, and largely understated instrumentation.

"Like a sweet with a slightly sour sherbet fizz at its core, it draws you in and then gives a little surprise! But you keep wanting to have more of them…

"Too soon, though, (perhaps hastened, it was hinted at, by Danni's excitability at seeing the following act) comes the set conclusion, with the semi-appropriately titled Fade Away. I say semi-appropriately because, while it is a fitting title for a closing number, this is not a performance that will fade in the memory for some time! A class act indeed, and a hard one to follow," says Rob Harbers.

In the Shallows shares the Musicians Club bill with Looking for Alaska.

The Details
What: Looking For Alaska and In The Shallows — 2022 Spring Tour
When: Friday, September 9, 7pm.
Where: Whanganui Musicians Club, Drews Ave
Tickets: Tickets are $25, and doors open 7pm.