Last year when we went out to our first SXSW, we had the pleasure of taking in a showcase by production duo Gorgon City. We were struck in the main at how Kye and Matt’s live show brought highlight to their production skills with a presence of electric energy emanating via their deft of hand synth-manship, leaving the assembled crowd at Spotify House suitably pumped and down with every beat of Gorgon City’s famed garage primed vibes.
As of now however, it’s straight into the push of promo as the release of the duo’s sophomore album “Kingdom” nears. The initial accent is on a full house revival too as the duo strike out with their first lead-in cut “All Four Walls” assisted by on-the-rise, introspective alt-pop outfit Vaults or more the voice thereof, Blythe Pepino.
Having had my feelers out on Vaults output for a while now, yet undecided on where their cut of experimentalism was leading them. I feel Pepino’s esoteric steeped vox acts as an inspired choice of partner to Gorgon City’s tried and tested all-out stadium filling sound. The accent here isn’t about pushing boundaries, it’s about giving out what they do the best! You can confidently put this on for a spin and find that is rather like meeting up with an old friend. There’s not much to pick disappointment at since, it’s all of the Gorgon City we know already through to the letter. Sticking to their guns and cutting it as good in movement, if not better Matt and Kye are holding their own, now with a slight edge over Disclosure’s most recent output to my mind.
We are only now being introduced to the new material though, of which there will be a fair amount leading towards the “Kingdom” release coming later this year. There is time enough to change-it-up a little as long as they remain mindful of their beginnings and what impressed us in the first instance. They’ll be plenty more to sate our garage groovy needs going forwards from Gorgon City.