04 July 2011
New Zealand synth-pop duo, Kids Of 88 summed up their own sound saying it’s a mix between “a late ‘80s police drama intro theme and a sophisticated super hussy.”
While their take on the debut may be somewhat sugared with their renowned sense of humour, they might be right on the dirty money.
Sugarpills may have borrowed influences from New Order, MGMT, the unavoidable Kraftwerk and interestingly, one Britney Spears, but they’ve added just enough sex and grit to set them apart from the playbooks of their predecessors.
Singer Sam McCarthy, and programmer/keyboardist Jordan Arts love their dizzy synthesizers and pumping drum machines; their big break came in the form of stomping single My House. First released independently in 2008 on their label Dryden Street Records, the track reached #3 in the charts in 2009 when Sony Music offered a distribution push; and this track isn’t even the album’s highlight.
Just A Little Bit bounds through dizzying claps and hard kick drum beats; McCarthy’s slightly perturbed argot only adds to the pop perfection that warrants at least three repeats before moving on. Then there’s the heroic ‘80s track, Feed The Birds where McCarthy throws in a curve ball and alternates between singing and rapping.
However, it’s not all ‘80s tributes and drum loops, KO88 cross into experimental territory in San Fran where a fantasy of the city is overlapped with delicate guitars and flute refrains. The singleDowntown keeps up with the playful and somewhat facetious themes on the record, it’s a paean to poor clubbers with a seesaw bass line and ever labouring synth pad.
Sugarpills offers a number of tracks ready for the gobbling of indie’s flippant synth-pop lovers. It spins with swirling beats and pulsating percussion; this mixed with the lyrics of an ephemeral culture makes for a solid debut that only opens the floodgates for future releases.
Sugarpills is out now through Sony Music
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