As the countdown to their sophomore album Delay The New Day enters its final stretch, Cardiff multi-intrumentalists Red Telephone offer fans one last sonic appetiser with ‘Sentimental Dreaming’.  

Driven by a hypnotic bassline and layered with ethereal synths, ‘Sentimental Dreaming’ comes with an interesting backstory. Born from a 15 minute acoustic guitar session intended to fix the chorus of a different song, the track became one of the first the band worked on for their new album. However, its journey to completion was far from straightforward, going through multiple iterations, including a bold foray into Robyn-inspired pop, before finding its final form in a spontaneous late-night studio session.

“We started listening back to practice recordings of all the different versions we’d attempted and there was this one phone recording with this really rhythmic, catchy bassline by Dom.” lead singer Declan says of the song’s construction “We were basically recording it ten minutes later on the fly and didn’t leave the studio until about 2am. There was definitely some late-in-the-day chaos as we scrambled to get it over the line, but it added a different energy & even brought about one of Kieran’s favourite guitar parts on the album, which he put down off the cuff going into the outro almost in some jaded desperation to get it done.”  With nods to Suede and Talking Heads, and a bridge that channels Roy Orbison, ‘Sentimental Dreaming’ emerges as a serendipitous anthem for the band, capturing their eclectic influences and innovative approach to songcraft. 

Delving into the album’s central theme of the trials and tribulations of modern day artists, ‘Sentimental Dreaming’ lyrically explores the chasm between the romanticised visions of creative pursuits and the often harsh realities of chasing those dreams. Of the song’s lyrics Declan says “There’s obviously this idealistic sentimentality in dreaming – it almost sounds like a sweet, harmless thing to do – but it’s deceptively powerful, because it can send us down paths that end up dictating not only behaviour but entire periods of our lives and ways of living.” 

Following the success of their deliciously dark and mesmerising debut album Hollowing Out, Red Telephone’s upcoming album Delay The New Day see’s their ever evolving sound push boundaries even further. Building on their signature blend of melodic psych and darkwave, Red Telephone promise to further explore this fusion with the addition of cinematic influences to their sophomore effort. Led by the quintet’s knack for multi-instrumental intricacies, Red Telephone’s latest work evokes comparisons to MGMT, St. Vincent, or fellow Welsh icons Super Furry Animals, while staying true to the unique style they established in their critically acclaimed debut. 

Thematically, the album delves into the struggles faced by countless aspiring artists: the relentless juggling act of day jobs and creative pursuits, the bombardment of conflicting advice on achieving success, and the ever-present fear of losing sight of the initial spark that ignited the passion. Delay The New Day is a tapestry of paranoia, self-doubt, and the sheer determination it takes to carve a path in the music industry. But even deeper than that, it’s about refusing to compromise on artistic vision, and embodying the underdog’s mentality to keep creating for the right reasons. 

Hailing from Cardiff, Red Telephone are a quintet featuring two sets of brothers alongside their first full-time drummer. They began their journey by releasing their first two singles as a double A-side vinyl on the Welsh cult label Popty-Ping, earning praise from Huw Stephens and Steve Lamacq. Their critically acclaimed debut album, ‘Hollowing Out’, garnered media attention from Clash, BBC 6 Music, and Under The Radar, amongst many. Now, in 2024, with their second album completed, Red Telephone continue to make waves in the UK alternative scene with their potent blend of psychedelic rock and darkwave. 
‘Sentimental Dreaming’ is out now, whilst their upcoming album Delay The New Day is hailed for release January 31st 2025. Pre order Delay The New Day on vinyl for guaranteed entry to their exclusive album listening party on January 29th at Tiny Rebel, Cardiff.

Emily Marsden – Editor
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