REVIEW: Kid Colour - Sunsets (2015)
A sequel to the bubbly pop of his first ep release, ‘The Harbour’, in 2014, this 2015 release is actually far from kid colour’s musical norms. Still very synthetic, but now taking on a rockier vibe, with a lot more guitar sounds than I expected from an act inspired by the likes of Owl City and Lady Gaga.
Opening with a similar soundscape to that featured on the last EP, ‘Planets’ melodic piano kicks the upbeat feel an a way that is almost nostalgic of what Kid Colour has done before. The unique, signature sound of nautical synths floats in, nicely done. Then suddenly, the music takes you by surprise with the sudden introduction of an almost pop-punky feel. Guitar sounds?! On a Kid Colour release?! But it works, interacting with the synths really well to create a well-balanced, well produced sound. ‘Planets’ is the perfect opener, a great step on from the harbour and a great standing for what is to follow.
Kid Colour’s vocals only kick in as ‘Planets’ fade into ‘Holiday’, the heavy guitars perfectly exchanged for another simple synth piece that sounds beautiful. The balance between calm, simple synthetic melodies and heavier guitar sections really is worth noting, and particularly evident here, as the newly found guitar tones come back again here for an uplifting and melodic lift.
‘Stars’ is an upbeat sounding ditty that addresses some really heavy lyrical matters. It also features Ben rapping for the first time on this record, and heavier, chugging guitars for the first time in a Kid Colour song. This song is definitely the most unexpected of the EP, and not in a bad way at all!
‘Holding Your Heart’ seems to return more to the pop-track vibes of the original EP with catchier vocals that what had come so far. However, it seems that Ben’s usual reverb kind of effect on the vocals seems more distorted here, to the extent where it is not as pleasant as other tracks.
The title track follows, as a kind of melodic interlude featuring a strange Japanese sample, creating a wonderfully strange soundscape, before dropping into another pop ditty, ‘I Love You (Do You Love Me Too)’ I think this song sounds the most like Kid Colour’s old material, with the signature ‘dolphin orchestra’ synth sounds making a return, and a catchy if repetitive chorus.
‘Sparks’ is my favourite track of the EP. This song has all the factors of a strange Cure style pop-song. The beat is beyond catchy, the curious vocals, particularly on the bridge - really brilliant. The album closer, ‘Homecoming’, is a strong, four chord ballad with a catchy chorus and rap-style verse. This songs definitely leaves you humming the tune.
This EP really holds its own against Kid Colour’s previous work. It is not a follow up of unused material, it is a work of art it in its own right. This is definitely one for anyone that thought Kid Colour’s last EP was a bit too airy-fairy, but also more than appealing to anyone that enjoyed all his work so far. Brilliant.
