London-based indie band Keeley continue their latest tour promoting their new album ¨Girl On The Edge Of The World.¨ The band comprises Irish singer-guitarist Keeley Moss, bassist Luke Foxtrot and former Morrissey drummer Andrew Paresi. Their music is a dreamy soundscape of eighties-influenced indie art-rock, shoegaze, dreampop, and electronica.

Songwriter Keeley has dedicated the past ten years of her writing to telling the true life story of Inga Maria Hauser, an eighteen-year-old German traveller who was murdered in Ireland in 1988. The murder remains unresolved. Every Keeley song references Inga´s life. This is an unusual approach for a band, firstly given that Keeley had never met or even heard of Inga before her death, and secondly, considering most band lyrics are usually about personal storytelling. It’s more akin to writing a book. Keeley sings to Inga, through her, and is fully immersed in her short life. It’s not as though Keeley herself doesn’t have a thick seam of life experience to mine. As a trans-woman growing up in 1970s Ireland, her life is fascinating – both on a personal level, but also from the perspective of Ireland´s rapid transformation from a queer rights backwater a few decades ago to one of the most progressive global societies. So Keeley’s generosity to Inga is special. Keeley herself rarely mentions her trans journey – I just reference it here as representation matters – but it’s a minor detail in the band’s story.

Album highlights include the punchy Crossing Lands (my personal favourite track), the melodic Big Brown Eyes, the innocent Who Wants To See The World and the giant The Movie of Our Yesterdays. The jangling Hungry for the Prize is another fave, as is the airy London Underground. Guests on backing vocals include Miki Berenyi (Lush) and Sice (The Boo Radleys). In these crazy times Girl on the Edge of The World, despite the tough subject matter, takes you back to lazy, more innocent, 1980s summer times. Very evocative and atmospheric. Thoughts of 1980s bands Into A Circle, Balaam and the Angel and Gene Loves Jezebel come to mind. Gorgeous.