As Mecuzine slimmed down from a more conventional 5-piece band into a duo, Joseph and Tony Johns similarly honed in on the sounds and styles which they considered worth exploring to form the core sound of the new line up. Although drawn from various eras, the shimmering sound of 80’s synths, the indie guitar tones the 90’s, timeless piano lines and all manner of samples and beats of more recent times, they forged these together to create a cohesive and creative signature sound.
But that is not to say that these building blocks were always found within their existing comfort zones and it is the very act of embracing the unfamiliar, of turning to new instruments and grappling with new genres which gives their music a welcoming rawness. Not to mention some unexpected twists and turns. Sometimes it is less about deliberately not following the rules, often their unique approach comes from not knowing what the rules were in the first place. Innocents is bliss, perhaps.
Their latest release, Blue Skies, is the perfect coming together of all these sonic ideas and musical explorations. A loose and languid, slow-burner, one that skitters along on electronic beats but is also grounded with shards of chiming guitar and a meandering and mysterious bass lines.
A dark song, for sure, more reflective and wistful rather than melancholic or morose. Brooding, is perhaps the word, and Blue Skies feels like the perfect descendant of the post-punk artiness of the early 80’s merged with the fledgling alternative rock sound of the 90’s
It’s late era Bowie on a chill pill. It’s downbeat, trip-hop merging with chilled, stoner rock. It’s a David Lynch-esque soundtrack just waiting for a call from an underground filmmaker. It is all of this and much more.
And for all its past reference points, it is the sound of underground music heading into a bright new future. One filled with exploration and invention. One where genres are irrelevant and the sonic palette is drawn from any genre, style or sound that takes their interest. The guitar hasn't gone away, it is just not the center of the story anymore.