What do you get when you hand an electronic drum kit to a hungry woodpecker? Probably still nothing that can compare to the frenzied brilliance of “Made to Stray.”
Nearly three long years since Dominic Maker and Kai Campos brought us their first stroke of ingenuity in the form of an album, we are greeted with their second release. Cold Spring Fault Less Youth is due May 28 in the U.S. after what will assuredly be an already hyped overseas release. The British electronic duo has built a following despite their brief moment on the scene. The first new single doesn’t exactly fit that same mold so many were hoping they’d reuse and refill. Is that a problem? Not after hearing “Made to Stray.”
Static is used as a weapon in this song. Like tidal waves pulling in and out of focus, the heavy static adds to the crescendo of the beat. While somehow enjoyable, the underlying desire for the tide to go out and the crashing of the waves to dissipate continues to build. As the percussion mounts and the urge to dance swells, the drop never comes. Eventually the vocals arrive — with both Maker and Campos singing, might I add — and only throws kindling on the smoking mess that is this teaser of a track off the sophomore album. In typical Mount Kimbie fashion, just as the full power of the song is washing over you, all of the parts you’ve been cheering along begin to slowly fade away and bring the track to a close.
Those brief seconds with the repetitious vocals on top of the full ensemble of percussion, backing effects (including static), and bass are enough of a combination to celebrate yet quick enough to leave you wanting more. Hitting replay seems to be the best option until Memorial Day weekend comes to a close and the full album is upon us.