Underwater PicnicUnderwater Picnic are a four piece indie rock band hailing from Galway. Forming in 2009, the quartet spent the past few years honing their talents and taking time to win the Youbloom Song Contest in 2011, before taking to the studio in March 2012. A year later and it was time to unleash upon the world their debut EP ‘ATLAS’.

From the moment opening track Burn The Past begins it is impossible to deny the similarities to Two Door Cinema Club. Thankfully once vocals kick in lead singer Ben Rogan allows a natural Galway accent to shine rather than attempting to neutralise or Americanise his voice. There is just something about the song that screams “I am meant to be heard live not recorded”, perhaps it is the “woos” that are so easy to imagine a crowd anticipating and joining in with.

Track two, Get Lost, continues on in a similar pattern to its predecessor, sounding perhaps a little too similar to TDCC. Then comes the tempo change and breakdown complete with some twinkly guitar effects, these twenty five seconds are possibly the highpoint of the entire EP. Remission has a pleasant almost summery opening guitar riff but then sadly slips into the trap of sounding once more like a TDCC cover version.

Underwater Picnic definitely have potential, however ‘ATLAS’ is not going to set the music scene alight. This offering from the group just lacks variety and falls into the trap of having three songs sound almost identical, and unfortunately identical to another act. Vocals are also a weak point; while it is good to hear a singer use their natural accent Rogan’s voice just needs a little work before it is lead worthy.