My Disco : 1991
Opening like a rabid dog barking through rusted fangs, 1991 launches brutalist jabs with sparse artillery. There’s no build, no release, and no hope. The trio here are an unpredictable militia, finding immense space within brevity. Methodical in control, this is domination.
Alpine : Shot Fox
There are moments when disparate and unwieldy production hits a mark alongside the soaring vocal throughout Shot Fox, but the majority of the track veers too far towards mediocre due to a total lack of focus within the instrumental. This leads to a sense of button-mashing rather than boundary-pushing. There’s talent here, but not much in the way of vision.
Melbourne Ska Orchestra : Satellite
Any slight, even impotent, hope signalled by our country’s recent leadership change has been mitigated by the realisation that there is still a ska orchestra at large in what is supposedly the “world’s most liveable city”. What a scourge.
Kurt Vile : Life Like This
Syncopating rolling piano with guitar accentuation, old mate Kurt Vile crafts a lovely little repetition in Life Like This, a pleasant introspection carving its own space. It’s a comfort zone, and a welcome one at that. Vile showcases dexterity while holding onto a rich identity as a songwriter.
Laurel Halo : Situation
Various elements signal like trains on the horizon throughout Situation, painting a landscape drenched in night sky. There are animals, indiscernible, beacons of rave nostalgia, mixed with arrhythmic vortexes. Taken from the upcoming release In Situ.
Single Of The Week
The Cactus Channel feat. Chet Faker : Kill The Doubt
A smoky cool jazzy setting suits Chet Faker (real name Charles Schufacher) as he nestles into a snappy, organic groove crafted by Melbourne collective The Cactus Channel. It all feels very real, prompting images of Faker perched on a stool, crooning into a vintage mic, sunnies on inside. Seriously, it’s all very impressive, unfurling itself with masterful bravado.
