The Hidden Messages

I'm sitting here at the computer, with The Hidden Messages Myspace playing away in the background and the sun is shining in through the window like it's the middle of the summer, it's a truly lovely moment but there's two questions hanging heavy on my mind.

The first is "Isn't it nearly October? shouldn't it be raining?" and the second is "Why am I having to listen to The Hidden Messages on myspace when they should be all over the radio?"

Mysteries I doubt I will ever have satisfactory answers to, and so I try my best to push them from my mind and just enjoy the fact that I am here anyway and able to pass at least one of these day brightening things on to you.

So who are the Hidden Messages then? Initially forming the band back in 2003 while at university, Matt and Edd, who share guitar and vocal duties (as well as playing Theramins and euphoniums, amongst other instruments.) recruited various other people over the next couple of years, settling on Kenny on drums and Justin on bass by 2005. A bit further down the line they recruited Matt's Girlfriend, Claire, to play violin and do a bit of singing too.

2007 saw them release their only releases to date in the two 4 track e.p.s, Animal Actors 1 & 2. Both of which can be heard in full on their website . The first track, 'Such a disgrace', really encapsulates everything there is to love about The Hidden Messages. A Beautiful, lovingly crafted pop song, with lush orchestration and brilliant harmonies reminiscent of a stripped down Divine Comedy or Cheerful Lambchop but with an exuberance all of it's own.

Back at the beginning of this year a new chapter in their history began when Justin left the band. Now a four piece, Kenny came off the drums and took up guitar and piano, the group choosing to use electronic sequenced drums and more synths (who isn't, these days?). Newer songs can be heard on their Myspace, "Animation Isolation" shows the ease with which they've adjusted to the new direction, whilst not losing any of their grin-inducing pop sensibilities. Sounding like Hot-Chip at their best, they are surely headed for bigger things soon.

You can see The Hidden Messages live at Spitalfields' Gramaphone on the 1st October.