'Ruins' is a duo is comprised of vocalist and drummer Lloyd Rock and Nik Kavanagh on bass and synth. The velvety falsetto that is the vocal sound of Lloyd enchants listeners and leaves you wanting more as they take you on a melodic journey of love, longing, and heartache. They are a duo to fall in love with, or listen to when you've fallen in or out of love with someone else. Their debut album 'Sample Size', released in November 2018 saw them playing a free gig on Smithdown Road the following week. They recorded the eight track album at Crosstown Studios and it was definitely a success, leaving you transfixed under their musical spell from start to finish. You will get 'Ruins' if you like music that sounds like right now. Ex bassist with John Peel session regulars 'Ella Guru' and 'Ruins' , co-founder, Nik says, "I became weary of the singer/songwriter acoustic song format and wanted to try something different, so I decided to create instrumental mood pieces, with some rough sketches for melody lines, and then pass the recordings on." It was who he passed the music onto that was vital, however: singer Lloyd Rock who continues, "I was instantly inspired. Lyrical and melodic ideas that had been waiting in my notebook found a voice and I liked it. Wherever there is mood, I'm soon to follow." Raw and honest performances are the the signature of these two friends' formula and their like for colours, where white means minimalism and simplicity. Their sound relies upon listeners enjoying a float across still waters as beauty reveals itself now and again from the icy hidden depths. They are all about an aesthetic as the duo make music that moves, as well as moves you, with tunes like, 'No Tiggy Butcher' and 'Song Of A Camera' coming on like 'The Cure' at their most curious. While influenced by iconic bands such as 'The Cure' and 'The Cranberries', their sound is a unique musical creation, which combines pop ballads with classic rock. The vocals are soft and high, which, when combined with the instruments, string together a beautiful story that is instantly relatable to listeners. It is the kind of music that you can dance to with excited energy, or just lean back and get lost in the magical fusion that they have created. Their first album takes the best of pop and rock, using guitar, the beat of a drum, and electronic sounds throughout. While the instruments are very present throughout, they do not take away from the clean, stirring vocal performance that Rock delivers to the audience.
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| Floral Pavilion, New Brighton in November 2021 |
Their second album, 'Pure at Heart', was released in 2022 and is a continuation of their atmospheric sound which see the duo deliver their signature blend of moody, soulful, melodic basslines, shimmering synth and broken beats. The new album includes 'Wearing White' – a delightful 'semiotic exploration' featuring soaring vocals and a sweet-yet-dirty-pop sound to keep fans dancing. Written pre-pandemic and mixed during the lockdown, the track guides us by 'loving hand' on an exploration through the symbolism of the colour white, from notions of angelic purity to scientific endeavour. Other tracks include 'Kintsugi', a mix of fragmented drum beats and hook-laden bass riffs, telling tales of self-forgiveness and healing. Each track includes Lloyd’s raw and enchanting falsetto vocal with its angelic untampered tone.
A post on their Facebook page in April 2022 stated, ' Seán Crossey is with Nicholas Kavanagh and Lloyd William Hendrick Rock. Today sees the start of a new campaign for Liverpool duo RUINS. 'Pure At Heart' is their second album, following on from the much lauded debut album 'Sample Size'. I've had this album on all weekend and I can't get enough of it, there's NOTHING else that sounds like these guys at the moment. If Cocteau Twins and Joy Division had got together and created something, this is more than likely what it would've sounded like, it's stunning. "This could easily become album of the year" - Big Takeover Magazine.
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