Listening to the new I’lls EP is like meditating beneath strobe lights. The electronic trio are in a league of their own, drawing from a background of jazz whilst employing tweaked synths and picked guitars. The latest in a succession of short-form releases, Can I Go With You To Go Back To My Country is an experimental success.
Carried by the sombre vocals of Simon Lam, whose lyrics are often cloaked in heavy reverb, this six-track release is as mysterious as it is ambitious. Opening track Aves doesn’t give much away, but tracks two and three, A / B / A and Keep, bring added tempo and wistful melodies.
Let Me Have Just One is the clear standout, which will appeal to anyone interested in afrobeat and swear words. There’s a lot to love about Substitutions as well, which sounds like holidaying in a place you’d never really go, like far Eastern Europe perhaps. In all, this EP is a massive chill-sesh, and it’s only major failing is that none of the songs eclipse the four minute mark.
BY JESSICA ANKOMAH