After sparking some attention with his stellar cover of Flume’s Sleepless in 2013, Charles Murdoch is ready to show us what he’s got with the release of his debut EP Point.
After a two-year hiatus, the Brisbane producer has been performing at home and overseas while working relentlessly to pump out his inaugural album. After drip-feeding Point to the internet track-by-track for a few weeks, the complete collection is finally here. If you’re an electro pop enthusiast, you’re not going to be disappointed.
Murdoch’s new work is a diverse mix of eerie electro and textured beats. Featuring vocal stylings from a smorgasbord of artists, no two songs sound the same. Kicking off with Nothing For You, the album opens with distant echoes before building up with electronic warbles and pixie-like vocals of Perth producer KUČKA.
Frogs is by far one of the more technical yet commercially appealing tracks on the album. Featuring sweeping electro melodies and the vocal talents of Aussie beat master Ta-Ku, Brisbane-based songwriter Wafia and NYC-based MC Hak, the track is a simple love song sprinkled over dubby beats. Ta-Ku’s hip hop tendencies and Wafia’s indie pop stylings form a mish-mash of genres that make for easy listening.
The first single off the album, Straws boasts repetitive yet ambient vocals layered over the top of bubbling synth. The following tracks, Open and Fray are both propelled by Melbourne-based songstress Chloe Kaul. Her indie pop vocals entwined with vibrant beats makes for some unabashed dance tracks.
Back to It, on the other hand, gives off an R&B flavour thanks to the soulful croons of Oscar Key Sung, while Banoffee produces backing vocals that are as sweet as the pie of the same name. Devoid of any discernible lyrics, Waves is one of the more upbeat songs on the EP. It’s a constant build-up, sparked with jolts of sonic energy and splashes of sleek synth.
The final track on Point and the second track featuring Oscar Key Sung, Privacy is an ethereal hot mess. It jumps from whispers and smooth electro musings one minute to jittering high hats and leaping vocals to the next, proving that Murdoch is anything but predictable.
Point is an an avant-electro mixed bag of up and coming talent. Murdoch has experimented with genres, sounds and collaborations to produce a body of work that is nothing but unique. While some tracks fail to pack a bit of punch, the eclectic album could find itself at home both on the dancefloor and in your day dreams.
‘Point’ is available via Future Classic on 11th December 2015.
