THE new EP from Pronto Mama, Niche Market, drops via Glasgow’s Instinctive Racoon and its five tracks demonstrate the cracking quality of Scottish music today. The band recently recorded a cover of The Gorillaz ‘Feel Good Inc’ with Louie from Hector Bizerk and played Belladrum festival for the first time earlier in the month. That’s all on top of radio plays on Vic Galloway’s BBC show and a T Break slot in 2013. Pronto Mama are making a name for themselves.

The band place themselves in the progressive rock hole and draw influences from the likes of Talking Heads, Dutch Uncles, Bombay Bicycle Club and The Beatles. Opening track ‘Goose Steps’ aligns this declaration nicely. The melodic guitar sound perpetrates through you while lead vocalist Marc Rooney exudes a boyish charm with one of the most attractive Scottish twangs we’ve heard on a record for a while. Even when the lyrics ‘And I dinny want ti’ come through. All dewy, at times aggressive and yet, romantic too; a shoegazey undertone makes for an interesting and catchy track.

‘Remission’ is full of trumpet melodies and creates an unbelievable noise at times through urgent drumming. It really is the track that keeps on giving- changing in mood and atmosphere through tempo and presence of those sweet little trumpets. A cleverly put together piece of music.

The trumpets return in ‘Rubber’, a song that feels as though its been lifted right out the 70’s with a funky grove hijacking the guitar riffs. With simple lyrics, this song really brings electronic funk to the foreground.

Scottish guitar rock is bulging out of ‘Surrogate’ complete with jaggy guitar riffs and whaling vocals. It’s over before we can comprehend it all though and its straight onto ‘You’re Only Human’, fast, strong and confident- a song that would kick the likes of ‘Goose Steps’ and ‘Rubber’ right in the nuts.

This is an EP that shows growth and stability. Pronto Mama know who they are and are confident about the music that they make. It’s soft and youthful when it needs to be and punches you with surprises like shock electronic elements and jazz segments. All together, a great collection of tracks from this talented Scottish bunch.