There’s always something special about a first. Especially when that first, like Berlin Bar Hounds’ debut track “Le Rambles,” instantly makes you want a second. And although you can find the man behind the band, Australian Jacob Borg, on plenty of other songs (Berlin Bar Hounds is a side project for him; he’s also the drummer for folk pop outfit Jinja Safari), this cut proves without a shadow of a doubt that he can make equally interesting music on his own.
Since we’re already talking firsts, let’s talk first impressions as well. Unfurling with a soft thrum and a few keyboard notes, “Le Rambles” sets a tone of deeply familiar restlessness before unveiling its secret weapon: Borg’s voice. Like a pastel version of Daughn Gibson’s muddy growl or a close cousin of The National’s Matt Berninger’s baritone, Borg’s vocals demand just as much attention as the music that swells gently behind them. And while one song isn’t enough to know if Berlin Bar Hounds’ sound will evolve more in line with the song’s darker intro or its sunnier finish, either way, one thing is for sure: Borg will sound damn good doing it.