strum

"I've wanted to take up the guitar ever since I seen my granda play. I was only six or seven when I started trying to strum his guitar."

Women wearing long wigs and ornate traditional dresses milled around a pebbled courtyard, stopping to snap photos under a pavilion, as the melodious strumming of the Chinese zither played in the background.

"All we talk about is work and weather… God I hate this / Why are you acting like you haven't seen me naked?" she agonises over the acoustic strum of Small Talk.

Instead, a good 50% of the tracks retreat to safer ground - slowly strummed songs of devotion, packed with valentine card sentiments.

It's used to heart-wrenching effect on their debut album, singing of the physical ache of unrequited love, over delicately strummed guitars and brushed drums.