The new Eight Miles High EP

Well, after reviewing releases by Eight Miles High last October (new songs)  & this July (from a 1991 live session), I think that we can safely say that the standby switch on their career, activated in 1993, is now definitely turned off.

A new three song EP (the tracks being "Freedom Street", "Let You Down" and "Rainy Day") has now joined their body of work, having been recorded at Hedgeside Studio back in February of this year.

There is of course a cross-over of personnel with Some Kinda Earthquake whose resumption of creativity we've been covering (as recently as last week) and so detecting a current of enthusiasm for returning to unfinished business amongst this pool of musicians isn't too difficult. Far too many bands pack it in prematurely (artistically speaking) for all manner of reasons but reconvening, let alone picking the threads back up so long after letting them drop, is usually beyond the circumstances of most: at best such groups tend to include a nucleus of original members with new additions taking the place of those who aren't available.

Not so here fortunately. Looking back on their phase one records, the songs are credited collectively. This time round, although I'm sure their general level of collaboration is as it was, guitarist Greg Sibley is responsible for writing all three songs.

I suppose that he & they (his colleagues being Simon Kelly (vocals),  Mark Patrick (keyboards and programming), Simon Ward (bass) and drummer Gary Cody), had a walk a fine line between meeting the expectations of their 1990s fans & articulating who they are in 2024.

In the event, they pretty much keep both constituencies happy I'd have thought. With the groove being the key as always, Eight Miles High detach themselves from the restrictions & limitations of adopting an early 90s pastiche sound (let alone production values). What they've chosen in order to do this is a light, summery feel to all three songs. This offers comparisons to such a wide range of precedents from early 1970s soul to some of the Style Council's endeavours, that any specific 90s feel is hard to detect as such. Thus liberated from the weight of history, they also turn in an EP suitable for the season coming to its end: neat work.

With their experience, they make it sound so effortless which makes it the right vibe for the job. However ultimately, like Some Kinda Earthquake the overwhelming sense given is that that they are just enjoying playing together & that it's a joy rather than a chore nor a job of work. Under such circumstances, no wonder the scent of effort is undetectable. Long may they get pleasure from making fine music like this together: I understand that dates for more recordings are already in their diaries for 2025.