Young Galaxy – Invisible Republic [Streaming]

Young Galaxy’s sophomore album, Invisible Republic, quietly arrived on August 25, 2009, and has since become a personal favourite. I first discovered the band back in March when they opened for Malajube. At the time, I wasn’t familiar with their earlier self-titled debut, which I later learned leaned more into dreamy pop textures.

With Invisible Republic, the band takes a different direction, diving into a more alternative pop-rock sound that still retains atmospheric elements. There are strong undercurrents of 1980s new wave throughout the album—shimmering synths, echoey guitar riffs, and emotionally rich vocals that evoke a very British pop-rock sensibility.

When I saw them live, most of their setlist featured material from this album, and I was especially blown away by their performance of “Firestruck.” It was a standout moment, and remains my favourite track on the album. I still can’t stop listening to it.

Catherine McCandless really takes the lead on Invisible Republic, and her commanding, ethereal vocals give the album its distinct voice. Stephen Ramsay contributes vocals on tracks like “Light Years,” “Dreams,” and parts of “Destroyer,” offering a nice contrast and balance.

The album’s highlights include epic ballads like “Light Years” and “Firestruck,” both of which showcase Young Galaxy’s ability to blend emotional depth with anthemic choruses. The entire record has a catchy, polished feel without sacrificing the heart that defines great indie pop.

In short, Invisible Republic is a gem of a release from 2009. It’s a shimmering, nostalgic-yet-modern record that wears its 1980s influences proudly while forging a sound that’s very much its own. Highly recommended for fans of dreamy, atmospheric indie rock with pop appeal.

Best tracks:

• Long Live The Fallen World
• Oh Sister
• Destroyer
• Pathos
• Light Years
• Queen Drums
• Firestruck

Here is a interview I did with Catherine back in September
[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/YoungGalaxyInterview/090909_001.mp3]
Invisible Republic gets: 📷📷📷📷📷📷📷📷📷📷/10.