Fresh music friday: the kid laroi, the lazy eyes, and dulcie

WELCOME BACK TO FRESH MUSIC FRIDAY! THIS WEEK CHRISTINE, ALEX AND KATARINA ARE GIVING YOU THE RUNDOWN ON THE NEWEST TRACKS FROM THREE HOMEGROWN ARTISTS – THE KID LAROI, THE LAZY EYES, AND DULCIE.

THOUSAND MILES – THE KID LAROI

Alex: The Redfern kid wonder is back with a this new single. Really embracing the American style of low-key hip-hop with the minimal trap beat at the core of the track. The hook is a massive earworm and I guarantee you that it will be stuck in your head for the next couple of days.

Christine: With a signature vocal rasp and trap-style beat, The Kid LAROI walks the line of introspection and heartbreak in his latest single, ‘Thousand Miles’. As a fan of his 2020 debut album, ‘F*ck Love’, I was keen to see where he had taken his melodically-focused hip-hop/rap style. Following the chart-topping release of ‘STAY’ (2021), ‘Thousand Miles’, returns to the script of stubbornness. He sings, “And I will never change / I couldn’t even if I wanted to for you”, warning romantic interests of his hubris in committed relationships. The production of the track reflects his own genre fluidity, and moves between a up-tempo beat and punky melody. Known for his brooding lyricism, The Kid LAROI dips out of his alternative emo-rock sound to kick off his latest album, THE KIDS ARE GROWING UP, set to release next month. I’m excited to see where he takes us this time.

Katarina: The Kid LAROI’s new single is a stripped-back version of his usual music. With acoustic guitar and piano, this song is more of a ballad than his previous work and laments lost love. He has a well established sound which leaves listeners with no doubt who they’re listening to, but overall it’s a pretty middling song that doesn’t leave much of an impression on the listener.

IMAGINARY GIRL – THE LAZY EYES

Alex: Giving off Queen and ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ vibes with this one, it has a really nostalgic fusion of psych-rock and 80s pop. I really enjoyed the contrast between the vocalists and the the flanger-filled distorted guitar lines. Great track for a gloomy day like today.

Christine: Fusing psychedelic rock with a dazed pop sensation, The Lazy Eyes introduce listeners to ‘Imaginary Girl’, a song that distinctly occupies a ‘feel-good’ whirl in the music scene. The band borrows old-school favourites, blending vintage sounds with hypnotic vocals and takes us back to a 70s soundscape. A pulsing drum beat and recurring piano chordal patterns kicks the track into gear, reminiscent of a doo-woop groove. A soft warmth in their slowed psych-rock haze aligns them with artists like The Beach Boys, The Doobie Brothers and The Turtles. Lead vocalist Harvey Geraghty sings in despair, “cause if you ever want to leave, I’m not sure if I could sleep / but if I asked if you could stay I wonder just what you would say”. The descent in chordal progression leaves us in a grating state, forlorn for the now-lost imaginary love.

Katarina: The Beach Boys were the first thing that came to mind when I heard this track. ‘Imaginary Girl’ is squarely in the surf-rock genre, with all its twirly guitars, bouncy bass and high lead vocals. The touches of strings and piano lent a dramatic touch to the otherwise peaceful song. A very lovely song from their debut album that clearly draws from their predecessors!

NOTHING LEFT – DULCIE

Alex: Love the sonic quality of this song – the opening slow arpeggiated synth is to die for and the way Dulcie’s vocals mesh with the backing is beautiful. The only critique I have is that the drums and atmosphere a bit too massive for my liking and I would have loved to see an acoustic or minimalist version. Still a great pop track overall.

Christine: Dulcie brings a bubbly rhythm to surface in their new single, ‘Nothing Left’. With a vocal layering that is seamless, they lean well into a harmonisation that is sonically uplifting. A playlist of songs that inspired their new single can be found on their Spotify and features artists including En Vogue, MAY-A, Peach PRC and Griff. These influences reflect their vibrant arrangment and heavy-duty pop soundscape as one enveloped in bliss. Their lyrics, “is it too far gone, how do we breathe this back to life”, ask us to tussle with feelings of complacency. I enjoyed the song’s pulse and its reckoning with the present from the WA indie-pop band.

Katarina: The gorgeous and almost choral vocal harmonies in the chorus saved this song from complete boredom. The electric percussion really isn’t my style but it balances well with the vocals. The singers melodious voice croons about lost love in a track that is fairly interesting but loses energy towards the end.