Perth based band Mulder are a two piece electro pop outfit with a new release titled Young. While the title flows along with the EP’s lyrical contention, it also reoccurs in the music’s tone, with influences seemingly not reaching before the 21st century.
While ticking various impressive production techniques off the list almost instantly on their seven track release, the band’s textures and dynamics also both impress, with a wide range of instruments, tones, and song structures implemented to complement the group’s song writing technique.
Although quite fresh, Young does at times express and elaborate on its creators’ opinion quite well.
The debut release’s opening track ‘Everything At All, That’s All There Is To It’ initiates the two piece’s evident influence from international acts such as The Postal Service and upbeat pop groups such as The Wombats and Tokyo Police Club. Vocal manipulation also overpowers their Australian accent, and at times and can come across as a little confusing.
Piano ballads leave interesting gaps throughout the piece while also creating a consistent balance, but with most electro pop group’s releasing albums of continuous high fidelity radio hits – it’s nice to feel the balance on this release.
While accommodating impact from influential pop artists the band does still manage to express their originality, and in majority – without it being too obvious.
Auto-tune is used spaciously, tastefully, and is most commonly used to accommodate a lead vocal roll and complement with harmonies making it more bearable.
The group’s vocal contributions are at times what may turn your average indie pop hunter away, with the duo’s hardcore influenced yelling taking over. The fifth track ‘Young Love’ is a good example of the band’s teenage angst, which appears as the main issue in the song’s lyrical content. Yet with a diverse, flowing track listing the 38 minutes don’t really feel like they’ve been dragging.
Young is an overall enjoyable, diverse listen and while youthful dramatic expression is at times a bit much, and the lyrical content doesn’t dig as deep as it could, Young does stay true to it’s word even if it’s in both positive and negative attributes.
