London-based indie pop group the Proper Ornaments formed as a by-product of the friendship between musicians James Hoare and Max Claps. Their love of classic psychedelia and West Coast folk-rock led them to craft their own home-cooked version, starting with a batch of singles in the early 2010s. Both were busy in a variety of other bands, but their shared chemistry led them to release a series of intimate and calmly melancholy albums together as the decade progressed. They began rather simple and jangly (2014's Wooden Head), but later featured richer arrangements and a more low-key approach (2019's 6 Lenins) as their collaboration ripened. ~ Tim Sendra