This New Zealand-born duo keeps going from strength to strength, with only two years passing since their first studio album, Evergreen. The new album, Conscious, is their best yet – prompting happy feelings with their signature synth beats and melodic vocals from Georgia Notts.
We hit the ground running with Free, a song that’s been getting pumped on triple j as well as a few commercial stations. It’s incredibly catchy and feels like the song that’s going to launch Broods into the mainstream. This might also have something to do with the fact this album was produced by long-term collaborator Joel Little, who’s worked with recent pop sensations like Lorde, Ellie Goulding and Jarryd James.
We Had Everything is a breezy summer tune, while Are You Home starts slow but breaks out into a cheesy ‘80s-inspired pop beat. The vocals really shine on Heartlines, a track that was co-written by fellow Kiwi Lorde. The mixed tempos echo similar-sounding bands like Chvrches and The Naked and Famous.
Freak of Nature features the Swedish pop singer Tove Lo, a heavier-sounding ballad about embracing and overcoming your own personal demons. The piano backing behind All of Your Glory is a nice touch, making it one of the best songs on the album, while Recovery gets back to that dreamy/dancey/Lorde-ish territory.
Couldn’t Believe and Full Blown Love pick up the pace again, and the album rounds out nicely with slow burner Worth the Fight, heavy-hitter Bedroom Door and the title track, Conscious, which ends things on a high.
BY CHRIS BRIGHT
