Goldtrip – Time Is All We Have

Almost a year on from the band’s debut EP, I Try, Bristol band Goldtrip have released their first stand-alone single, in search of that coveted spot on the Radio One playlist.

It’s all there - the production, the strings, the general arena presence. The band feels experienced enough to launch an assault on the charts, and this audacity has accumulated from the touring and recording over the last three years.

This track, as ambitious as it is, is not Goldtrip’s finest. The musicianship is again fantastic, and the production sweeps a thick smattering of stardust on the track’s themes. However, it is not symbolic of the band’s recent forays into other styles, exemplified by set list regular Lion’s Den, and thus loses a little of the band’s identity.

Perhaps the track is a way of appealing to the masses before displaying their full palette in an album. It may work, with the Coldplay-esque jangly guitars and soaring melody are pulled off flawlessly, but this cannot become the overriding theme of the band’s music in the long term if interest is to be maintained.

Lead singer Dom’s vocals are powerful and heartfelt, given extra weight by the layered production. The rhythm section is tight and the guitars run delicately over the top; all through the track the sound layers are harmonious.

However, Time is All We Have lacks the drama songs like Running Out of Love, while missing the innovation of Lion’s Den. It is clear Goldtrip are on the right track, and have a diverse range of sounds befitting of an album. But it is important for them to maintain their identity in all their work to become a stand-out on a mainstream playlist, especially considering the level of competition in the indie music scene from so many acts.

If this track manages to break the charts, we can hope to see the band’s confidence flourish, leading to the demonstration of a truly original style. What is clear is that there is potential lurking under the surface, waiting for the moment before release. This may be the tool which unlocks that.