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Mount Kimbie - Love What Survives (Warp Records)
Released: September 8th, 2017
London based electronic duo Mount Kimbie leave their mark on 2017 with their third studio album, Love What Survives. Mount Kimbie is the professional label for musicians Dominic Maker and Kai Campos. They have been making music for the better part of ten years and this is their third full-length album.
I have never listened to this band prior to this album and I am extremely pleased I found them. This album is very interesting. Ranging from eclectic electronica to lo-fi indie-pop, this record has it all. The overall sonics sound extremely similar to that of a Black Marble record, but with more indie-pop flavor; hints of goth and 80's synth-pop make appearances as well.
The singles from Love What Survives are fantastic.
"Blue Train Lines" is a slowly building track accompanied by a vocal performance from King Krule, whose voice and articulation is full of character. The drum sequence that enters around the 2:14 mark turns the track into a lo-fi indie-rock barn burner.
My favorite from the record is "Marilyn". We have another feature, this time from vocalist Micachu. The cadence in the vocal performance is very strange and weird, but it works with the instrumental so well. The drums are simple but very clean and crisp. The synth work is rattling and clicking; resembling a wooden wind chime. The bass line is groovy and it creates a great vibe that surrounds the song.
The last single, "We Go Home Together", contains a feature from another English electronic producer, James Blake. This two minute ballad is able to breathe with assistance from a buzzing organ along with environmental samples. The vocal performance is pretty as well.
On Love What Survives, Mount Kimbie exemplifies their depth, proving they can make a lasting electronic album.
There is not a single track on this album that isn't a highlight. You can find a beautiful piano instrumental on the song "Poison", or as I referred to before, you can find awesome lo-fi indie instrumentals everywhere.
"Four Years and One Day", "Audition", "SP12 Beat" and "Delta" are four solid tracks. On each song, the drums are punchy while the cymbals fit into their respective mixes very nicely. The synths are buzzing, they're clean, they're wide, they're different, they're ringing, they are pushing boundaries of modern indie and electronica. Songs like "SP12" have such an infectious bounce and groove that it's hard to deny. Each song starts simple but then develops into an addicting electronic jam.
The other tracks on the album that contain vocals are "You Look Certain (I'm Not So Sure)" and "T.A.M.E.D".
"T.A.M.E.D" has such a gorgeous vocal melody that appears at the 1:25 mark. The progression is so catchy and satisfying, but it also complements the other vocal on the track almost perfectly. This is a very beautiful moment for the album sonically, even though the lyrics tell otherwise.
Honestly, Mount Kimbie didn't leave anything behind on their latest album. The aesthetics, along with the general sonics of the album, are so cohesive and connected. Each sound has a life of its own but they come to together to form a beautiful project. It feels moody and dark at some points, but never comes of as dull or boring. The percussion elements along with the overall drumming was very clean and crisp but still packed a punch. The synth-work and patches were unique, obscure, strange and even spooky at some points, but never scaring the listener away for a split second.
The English duo delivered on Love What Survives, the current front-runner for electronic album of the year. Listen below...
Genre: Electronic/Indie-Electronic/Indie-Rock/Indie-Pop/Lo-Fi/Goth/Synth-Wave/Dark-Wave/Bedroom-Electronica
Rating: 9/10
Fav Songs: ALL
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