One Track Mind

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Jonquil is a trio of blokes who hail from Oxford, England, but employ sounds from all over the world on “Get Up.” The keyboard chords that kick off the song, along with the first buzzy guitar riff mimic the feel of a sunrise. This musical pairing is the launch pad for a tropical-infused blend of feel-good percussion and offbeat melody.

“Get Up” isn’t just a title–the song uses every note, rest, and syncopated rhythm to command the listener: “Move! Move!” This is a song that reaches down to the molecular level and inspires mitochondrial flash mob choreography. Trust me, you will feel it.

Hugo Manuel’s lilting vocals bob and weave throughout “Get Up.” Yet even as he sings “What’s worth remembering?” his lyrics are utterly forgettable… but that’s okay. Single words – “smile” or “face” – whizz by without context. His words emerge as mere sounds that refuse to fit together to form a larger story. Instead, the cacophonic “Oh uh oh” and “Ooooohs” play a larger role, filling “Get Up” with melodies that convey meaning in a less conventional way.

Though comparisons to Vampire Weekend and Animal Collective are apt, Jonquil has already chosen a cohort. The band is allied with the Blessing Force collective, a group of bands that marks a recent Oxford-based musical resurgence, and includes acts such as OTM’s Top 10 Songs of 2010 finalist Stornoway, Trophy Wife, and Chad Valley. Jonquil even shared a recording space with Foals during the recording of their latest release, One Hundred Suns. Dovecote Records released the EP, which includes “Get Up,” digitally last November, followed by a vinyl release earlier this month.