Review: "Spectra" EP by The Keymakers
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The Keymakers embrace a summery, sun-soaked dance pop fervor on the passionate “Spectra” EP. With the greatest of care, they let these deep, emotionally-laden grooves take hold. Firmly set within the EDM spectrum of things, they allow the multiple layers of sound to come together in a dazzling kaleidoscopic way. Vocals radiate such tenderness and passion. Lyrics further emphasize this unique poetry with the words cascading in a delightfully colorful fashion. Genres blend together into various streams of sounds allowing for the EP to come together as a singular body of work.
Sheer optimism ties the entirety of the EP together. References to Merriweather Pavilion era Animal Collective appear throughout the project. Beyond this, The Keymakers incorporate elements of a disco house hybrid a la Lindstrom’s singular approach. They keep things rather buoyant ensuring a sense of true joy that seems to pop throughout. Neon-hued and full of a rich tapestry of textures the sonics are wonderful to get lost in as they fully engross the listener into a virtual kaleidoscope. By ensuring it all comes together in a way that feels so breezy yet so carefully considered, they bring such a sense of freedom into the proceedings.
Nowhere is this sense of unbridled positivity more potently felt than the opener “Home (Intro)”. Within this piece they set the tone for what follows: infectious grooves, gorgeous hooks, and honeyed voices intermingling. “Lonely” opts for a more romantic spirit as the tenderness feels so lovely with its sense of yearning. A pitch perfect buildup occurs on the slow evolution of “The Light”. Bouncing with such enthusiasm, “California in the Sun” rolls through in a distinctly giddy way. Featuring Cadence XYZ, “What You Wanted” embraces a slightly statelier rhythm, as the passionate pleas add to the song’s emotional core. Distortion reigns supreme over the video-game soundtrack effects of “Dark Out”. Bringing a bit of jazz into the proceedings is the gorgeous swirls of “Remember” which brings the whole of the EP to a celebratory close.
The Keymakers craft a thoughtful take on EDM and pop with the playful style of “Spectra”, and are a duo to definitely keep your eyes and ears locked on in 2020 and beyond.