With December’s awkward arrival over the just-concluded Thanksgiving holiday weekend here in the states (seriously, how rude is the calendar this year?), the annual Whamageddon festivities have begun in earnest. But if we’re going to take a George Michael-shaped bullet this year, we might as well catch it in a blissful wall of fuzzed-out melodic noise as Nova Scotia trio Kestrels apply some shoegaze sweetness to the both celebrated and maligned holiday classic.
The warm embrace of a cover landed this past Friday via Darla Records, which will issue Kestrels’ forthcoming February album Better Wonder, and was mixed by Justin Pizzoferrato at Sonelab Recording studio in Western Mass and mastered at Abbey Road Studios in London.
“It’s the perfect soundtrack for walking around your neighbourhood looking at the nice lights after some mulled wine,” the band writes on Insta. “Or better yet: Making an embarrassing admission to your crush at the office Christmas party! Add to your playlists for peak credibility. Who knew sleigh bells and distorted bass were a perfect combo?”
Tap out early on Whamageddon below, or simply save it for when the time is truly right.