From remix duties to co-headliners, it’s safe to say the musical masterminds behind two of the most influential electronic acts of this generation, Golden Features and ODESZA, have shared a room or two before. But whether it’s the meditative stillness of a green room or the adrenaline-fueled roar of a blinding stage, it’s with a world-first that co-admirers and simply put friends Tom Stell, Clayton Knight and Harrison Mills announce that room has been a studio. The stealthy release of two singles later, under the radar comes BRONSON.
Introducing us to the brainchild of the two industry staples is opening track ‘HEART ATTACK’, as we are met with the on-brand musings of lau.ra’s clear and up-front vocals in contrast to warm, detuned strings, brass and saw-wave pads harmonising in a classically uplifting ODESZA chord progression that is of course later reproduced by a trademark grand piano. It’s in the build here that we are introduced to a somewhat familiar four-on-the-floor 909 kick uncharacteristic of their previous endeavours before rising and culminating into the light-bulb illuminating ‘a-ha’ moment that is the unmistakable sheen of a Golden Features drop. It’s a trajectory that turns on a dime and hints like a not-so-subtle reminder of who it is you’ve got yourself listening to here as, like any collaboration that wears its influences on its sleeve, it’s easy to see which artist influenced each part of the composition by their respective signature traits.
The second half of the EP is where things get interesting. Acting as something of a proof of concept, the ironically titled ‘VAULTS’ behaves antithetically much more like four-minute full disclosure of everything one could imagine the resulting studio session chalkboard of these two artists could divulge. From glitched-out distortions, enigmatically indiscernible vocal implementations and reverb-drenched choir stabs to a thumping kick drum, stereo-panned found-sound percussion and tightly controlled sub frequencies, there’s much more underlying than the sole arpeggiated motif that catches the ear on one’s virgin listen. The result is a track that is unapologetically neither ODESZA nor Golden Features in nature but something entirely new, something ultimately greater than the sum of its parts and hopefully the avenue of the two proposed by the double-a side to be given the greatest attention in future offerings. It’s with this foreshadowing and much to the giddy elation of long-time fans that we are eagerly reminded that unlike previous one-off Presets collaboration ‘RAKA’, the collaborative super-group will persist beyond the release of it’s July 17th full-length debut BRONSON.
Although arguably divisive in the way ‘HEART ATTACK’ / ‘VAULTS’ plays it safe, BRONSON simultaneously prevails in delivering something for almost everyone in the same breath they do a taste of the upcoming LP. From ODESZA’s featherweight-light pop sensibilities to the trademark Golden Features dark-room wrist stamp of club approval, the juxtaposition of each artists’ such intrinsically dichotomous themes (as well as their historically occasional interest in the other’s with tracks such as ‘Loyal’ and ‘Falling Out’) could theoretically spawn content for years to come. And it’s with both fingers crossed that sooner rather than later they do.
Stream: Foreign Family / Warner Music Australia
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