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It comes as no surprise to learn that the Kids Of 88 hail
from New Zealand. For a pop music culture dominated by electronic
and synthesizer-based music, Jordan Arts' and Sam McCarthy's
debut album, Sugarpills, fits neatly into this box. The production
duo generated popularity in 2009 when their single, "My House",
reached number 3 on the charts. Since then, the band has amassed a
following. Sugarpill's ten tracks might remind listeners of
other down-under electronic bands like Miami Horror, Midnight
Juggernauts, and The Presets. However, unlike these other
acts, Kids Of 88 is exclusively techno; the album is predominately
composed of synthesizers and drum machines, garnished with McCarthy's
lightly agitated vocals.
The album opener, "Ribbons Of Light", begins with a hard
kick drum, oscillating bass line, and airy synth pad. As McCarthy
sings, "I won't hold this back / you taste so good / and feel
so right," there is a sense of insistence and desire, an appropriate
tone set for the remainder of the album. The first single off the
album, "Just a Little Bit", features a rubbery lead that
pulsates over techno claps and kicks. The majority of the album continues
with this electronic sheen. The gem on the album however (and perhaps
because so), diverges from this sound. "San Fran" is softer
and secretive, featuring a stuttered guitar loop that occupies the
open bars, a gossamer flute melody serenades in the distance as McCarthy
recounts his day dream of the golden city. "Downtown" brings
us back to the present, as disco guitar chords flutter against the
drum back-beat. Finally, the jam in "SQRL" brings the album
to a close.
Sugarpills is irrefutably dance-oriented yet contains moments
of song-writing wit that allow this debut that to thrive in clubs
and convertibles. The repetition of the album might turn stale for
audiences familiar with the complex production of Australian synth-pop
bands (Van She, Cut Copy). Yet Sugarpills still
offers a solid ground work for future releases - Arts and McCarthy
are about to strike gold.
-Parker Tichko
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