From the very first coupla wonky strums that introduce opener Red Velvet, we’re already intrigued.
“Somethin’ ‘bout you felt so fake to me/ Maybe it’s the big-headed boys in your DMs…” – just add smooth-as-silk-sheets vocals plus dreamy “Haaaa-ah-AH-haaaa” BVs, which conjure heat haze, and we’re completely hooked!
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Brown sees King Ivy drawing from his own personal experiences surrounding identity, heartbreak and navigating the clusterfuck that is modern dating while also contemplating what truly matters in life: “Don’t wanna feed addiction/ Don’t wanna fear religion/ I follow intuition/ Never politicians.”
Described as “the anthem for anyone stuck in a situationship”, Complicated’s rapid-fire vocal delivery – “Was-talkin’-crazy-just-a-week-ago-but-now-I-just-can’t-leave-you-’lone/ Trippin’-’bout-some-shit-you-did-last-week-screa-min’-through-speakerphone…” – makes us feel like we’re watching an invisible tennis match and can’t stop rhythmically head turning back and forth. This one’s funky riffs plus clap-happy accents will have you reaching for the replay button.
Although Paranoid navigates “feelings of anxiety and insecurities in relationships”, instrumentally it’s cruisy AF. Elsewhere, the chirpy, pogo-paced Take My Love and closing track Refund – which sees King Ivy wishing a refund was available for time wasted on insignificant matters over gently strummed guitar accompaniment – further showcase this Meanjin alt-R&B sensation’s diverse sonic palette.
An astonishingly accomplished debut from this genre-fluid artist to watch, Brown is a snapshot of music royalty in the making.
Brown is out today, April 7, released via the label Valve Records. Check it out by heading here.