Edinburgh-based Gurry Wurry is the solo project of Scottish “indie-psych-pop pedlar” Dave King. He’s featured on BBC 6 Music, Triple R, Apple’s New In Alternative, Hype Machine’s Top 10, and Tom Robinson’s Fresh on The Net; been acclaimed by the likes of The Skinny, Snack Magazine, Clunk and Is This Music; opened for indie darlings Florry and Dent May; and been championed by the BBC’s Roddy Hart and Vic Galloway. Having been an avid record collector for over two decades, he’s now sharing his own highly original and thoroughly enjoyable sonic output: In March last year, his homemade debut Not As Bad As It Sounds came out (and made Vic’s 2023 Albums of The Year). The follow-up Happy For Now was recorded with indie legend Rod Jones (Idlewild, Hamish Hawk) and is an ode to caring less. Or trying to. The vibe sits in a half-dreamt world where a California breeze blows through the streets of Leith. A world where Randy Newman digs The Beta Band. And Steely Dan go lo-fi. Where Kraftwerk share a writers’ room with John Martyn and Thelonious Monk. It’s as eclectic as you’d expect from a guy who’s been collecting records for the last 25 years. A sort of warm, woozy, anaesthetic pop for times of trouble. An alternative medicine. In the words of The Skinny, ‘the good kind of weird’.

What He Says: “This was the very last song I wrote for the album. I had around 20 or 30 demos and thought I’d finished writing and then this one just arrived out of nowhere. And that’s kind of the idea of the song – the way that monumental things happen when you least expect. That instant before you find out your dad has died, or your girlfriend’s cheated on you, or you’ve been sacked – right before it happens everything is fine, and then all of a sudden the world is upside down.” 

“This song has been a real lesson for me. From the instant I started sharing the new tunes with people, even in demo format, this was the standout for most people. It picked up 6Music play and lots of magazines and blogs covered it. But it was definitely the least effort I’ve ever put into a song. The lyrics arrived fully formed with the melody and I didn’t bother rewriting them like I usually do. I didn’t really know what they meant but I liked the way they felt so I just went with it. And typically that’s the tune that everyone loves rather than the ones I poured over for days!“

“I’m not sure why, but I’m obsessed with the idea of being broken into. I quite often get kept awake by noises in my flat, and think there’s someone inside. But I also live on the site of an old Victorian hospital so I started thinking about the place being haunted. And that got me thinking about the way an ex-girlfriend fills your flat like a ghost for a while after the relationship dies – so that’s where this spooky little tune came from.” 

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His Mixtape:

Mui Zyu – Everything To Die For

I’m really drawn to dissonance in music – especially when people make something beautiful out of something unexpected. That low note in this chorus really hits the spot for me. It stops me in my tracks every time I listen to it, absolutely love it.

Lonnie Holley – None of Us Have But A Little While

This is from one of my favourite albums of last year. I was lucky enough to see him live a couple of months ago and it was one of the most moving things I’ve ever seen. His stuff feels really weighty, but uplifting at the same time.

Charles Lloyd & The Marvels – Abide With Me

Sticking with the spiritual vibe. This is just a beautiful, simple melody that most people will know, but I think it’s maybe my favourite instrumental performance ever (for now). He just plays it with so much restraint but also with an astounding amount of emotion.

Ted Lucas – Baby Where You Are

Mmmm – a lovely, warm, 70s sound. The double-tracked vocals are so soft and rounded. It’s a real hug in a song this one.

King Creosote – So Forlorn (…again)

Scotland’s finest singer-songwriter. I could’ve picked about a hundred of his tunes, he has a great way with words, a great way with a melody, and such a pure, direct voice. I believe every word he sings. I think I’ve seen Kenny live about 25 times now and I always remember the first time I saw him do So Forlorn – I was blown away that he sang the high bit. I’d always thought that was a female backing vocal!

Efterklang – Animated Heart

This tune is just so fragile. The lead vocal sounds like it was recorded on a phone or something. It’s so delicate, it’s just a really beautiful thing. 

Julia-Sophie – Telephone

I’m addicted to this one. She’s got a lovely voice and there’s a nice thick 80s vibe to the production but man it’s all about that melody. I will never, ever get bored of singing along to that chorus.

Hefner – Alan Bean

I saw Darren Hayman live recently (the lead singer of Hefner) and he did a stunning version of this song. Alan Bean was the fourth man on the moon but nobody remembers him. He spent the rest of his life as a painter – painting pictures of himself on the moon. It would have been easy to make the song a caricature, a piss-take, or all about pity. But it’s actually really empathetic and beautiful and human. It kind of makes you feel hopeless but ok with it… Ever felt like giving up? All the time.

Happy For Now is out now. Look HERE for more information on Gurry Wurry.