My Rating: 4 out of 5
To be honest, I didn’t even know the band is still active. I just lost interest after the first two albums. While their self-titled debut was a playful mix of Afrobeats, indie, classical music, and, above all, fun, the second album, “Contra,” was a solid follow-up. I can’t even remember “Modern Vampires of the City” and “Father of the Bride,” the third and fourth albums.
I saw “Only God Was Above Us” in the new releases, and it was like seeing someone you know, someone you used to spend time with in the past, someone who was always fun to hang around with. And I was like, “Hey, how are you, dude?” And the answer was: “Fuck the world.” Well, that’s the first lyrics of “Ice Cream Piano,” the opening track of the album. That instantly got my attention. And when the snare drums led into the beat, I was a little bit hoping for a new “A-Punk.” But it isn’t. I thought, “Well, this album is more produced with the head than with the heart.” Yet it led me to listen through the entire album.
I liked “Capricorn” and “Hope” instantly, and after I finished all 10 tracks, I hit play again. The album cover art shows a weird subway situation, which fits perfectly with the album. It’s something you might hear incidentally on a subway ride in a big city while reading the newspaper and experiencing weird situations.
The album feels more familiar and gets better with every repeat. Well done!
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