The long-awaited solo debut album from Sam Eastgate is an exhilarating adventure of forward-thinking pop with sonic eccentricities.
LA Priest/ Inji
Sam Eastgate, frontman of the now-defunct British dance-punk outfit Late of the Pier, has finally come out of the woodwork with a full-length solo record under the name LA Priest. It’s been a long time coming, as Eastgate put out a one-off single called Engine under this moniker in 2007. Inji is also a byproduct of extensive travelling over five years and a brief stint in Greenland where he reportedly studied the effects of electromagnetic phenomena on recorded sound. The result is crammed with ear-piquing sonic eccentricities that teeter on the edge of avant-garde, but at the same time never really shies away from pop sensibilities.
The album opens with Occasion, a meld of bass grumble, distorted guitar and what sounds like a weeping theremin. It readily recalls those psychedelic soul numbers by Prince (Eastgate even manages to sound like him here). As an album opener, Occasion has that strange charm about it that could either grate or move you on a profound level. Lady’s in Trouble with the Law goes down a little easier with a catchy dose of funk-pop in the form of following hook: “Even though I know that’s wrong, it feels right/Even though I know that I’m low, I feel high/Even when the morning comes, I need the night.”
Despite the equally whimsical title, Gene Washes with New Arm veers off into experimental territory with enough foreboding synths that could easily score a David Lynch movie or two. The album reaches its peak on tracks like Oino and Party Zute/Learning to Love. The former tinkers with all sorts of genre-defying weirdness including Middle Eastern influences without sacrificing the pop appeal. The second is an eight-minute-plus journey into the domain of funk-edged electronic dance music (fans of Discovery-era Daft Punk prepare yourselves, you are in for a nostalgic trip down memory lane). For those in the mood for something a bit mellower, tracks like Night Train, Fabby and Mountain won’t disappoint, however.
Inji is an impressive album of unhinged, outlandish ideas underpinned by accessible pop elements — a feat seldom achieved by artists today. Sure, the fusion of funk, soul and ’70s psychedelia is nothing new — it’s been done to death by his predecessors and contemporaries — but no one has managed to pull off something so wholly unpredictable, yet still accessible, quite like he has. Whenever we feel like he’s being extra indulgent by bombarding us with an arsenal of sonic whims and eccentricities, there’s always an underlying sense of familiarity that pulls you back in and keeps you engaged. In the increasingly homogenised pop landscape, Eastgate’s solo debut is truly a breath of fresh air.
THE PLAYLIST
Hugo/ Hailstorms
Hugo Chakrabongse is among a rare few Thai artists who have successfully cultivated a truly international sound to his work. On Hailstorms, the second single taken from his sophomore solo album Deep in the Long Grass, he sings about weathering the metaphorical hailstorms and his determination to push through the obstacles. “I’m waiting for the blow, I’m reaching out to take what’s mine/Whichever way it rolls, I’ll dance my way through hailstorms any time,” he croons to the accompaniment of low twangy guitar and melancholic organ.
The Prodigy/ Get Your Fight On
Ahead of their Bangkok show this Tuesday, legendary bigbeat trio The Prodigy have dropped Get Your Fight On, the fourth single lifted from their sixth record, The Day Is My Enemy. As with 2009’s Take Me to the Hospital, the song rehashes a sample from Salami Fever by Finnish breakbeat outfit Pepe Deluxé, with an addition of crooked guitar riffs. Vocalist Keith Flint repeats the song’s title in all his shouty glory in the same vein as Smack My Bitch Up. This is a classic Prodigy track — one that will rightfully send fans into raptures at their live performance.
Disclosure (featuring Sam Smith)/ Omen
British brother duo Disclosure have reunited with their go-to crooner Sam Smith on Omen, the latest cut taken from their forthcoming sophomore record Caracal. But don’t go expecting the same surging energy of Latch, the threesome’s previous collaboration — this track is a lot more subtle and sleek in its approach. “My mind would rule my heart, I didn’t pay attention to the light in the dark/It left me torn apart, but now I see your tears as an omen,” Smith sings in his signature falsetto over the sensual pop-soul groove reminiscent of the mid-career George Michael.
De Lux/ Oh Man The Future
LA duo De Lux have been favourably compared to Talking Heads, and it’s easy to see why. Oh Man The Future combines elements of dance and post-punk with sprinklings of shimmering synths on top. As for the lyrics, frontman Sean Guerin effuses about what the future could possibly have in store for us whether it’s flying cars, cyborgs, chips in our brains, World War IV or made in USA printed on China’s Tupperware. He then punctuates each train of thought in a hilarious shriek of horror, “Oh man, the future!”
Petite Noir/ Down
Cape Town-based Yannick Ilunga has been making music as Petite Noir since 2012. After dropping the much-lauded The King of Anxiety EP earlier this year, Ilunga is back with Down, the first taste of his full-length debut, La Vie Est Belle/Life Is Beautiful. Here, he still adheres to what he’s termed “noir-wave”, a fusion of new wave and South African influences. “Are you ready? Do you really wanna go at five? Are you coming? I really wanna go all night,” he intones in the opening verse alongside snare drum beats and hypnotic basslines.
