Mazes have been on our radar for a while now, picked up by FatCat - who aren’t shy about taking risks with artists and have worked with everyone from Frightened Rabbit to Sigur Ros, the band went into a ‘proper’ recording studio and quickly plated up a number of tasty songs soon to be released in an album ‘A Thousand Heys’ in April. We also caught them supporting seminal canadian band Suuns this last month, their tracks are some whirling round my bedroom/office on repeat.

What you get is lo tech jangling sounds, their hooks skip like early Beatles records with waves of grunge guitars that bring back moments of early Green Day (ok, for me at least) and even hints of The Strokes in the guitar lines at times - well balanced pop tunes meet DIY music ethos, this is essential listening for the summer of 2011. Songs to look out for include: Go Betweens and Most Days, but we’re yet to dislike a track.

Fans of Harlem, Beatles, Pavement, The Strokes will love this band.

Next month they are on tour with Dum Dums Girls:

31-Mar-11 Manchester Deaf Institute
01-Apr-11 Dublin Whelans
02-Apr-11 Belfast Belfast Film Festival @ The Black Box
03-Apr-11 Glasgow Stereo
04-Apr-11 Leeds Brudenell Social Club
05-Apr-11 London Dingwalls
06-Apr-11 Brighton The Komedia