Stemming from the minds of Dominic Maker and Kai Campos, Mount Kimbie have been a looming figure in the U.K. electronic scene for years, building from the sounds of post-dubstep. However, their newest and third album Love What Survives, the pair have taken a somewhat sharp turn from their previous album Cold Spring Fault Less Youth, which was released 4 years ago in 2013. Utilizing a greater sense of drum machines and instrumentation, the duo have evolved from producers and into a fit live band. By enlisting a powerhouse of vocal features from long-time collaborators James Blake, and King Krule, the record blooms to life. Leaving behind the sporadic bass and snippets of samples, Love What Survives is an incredibly solid, precise, and efficient piece of work that truly highlights their growth, not as an electronic pair, but as a live band.
Overall, the record is melancholic and dreary, periodically releasing short bursts of optimism throughout. Created and produced while Campos and Maker lived in different countries, the beginning track “Four Years and One Day” possibly refers to two different things. Either it has been four years and one day since they have put out new material or, it could also be alluding to a naturalization rule for immigration in the US, as if it’s relevant to Maker’s residency in LA. Moving on from the opening track comes the first and strongest single that was released, “Blue Train Lines,” featuring the energy and boasting roar of Archy Marshall, aka King Krule. Progressing further into the album appears another one of the singles, “Marilyn”, featuring the English songwriter Micachu. Using an arpeggiated thumb-piano and a swinging ride cymbal, its hard to shake the notion that the song isn’t reminiscent of the past as it vividly resonates nostalgia. It feels as if the song is longing to revel in past times, which is why in my eyes “Marilyn” is by far the most beautiful song off of the album. Other standout tracks include “We Go Home Together” and “Delta.” Being an instrumental track, “Delta” honestly feels like it was thrown together with a rough sense of urgency, from the heightened tempo to the rapidly vibrating synths that go in and out of the song. “We Go Home Together” in turn, blurs genres and end up sounding like a modest gospel song with a stunning feature from James Blake, ultimately the track signifies Mount Kimbie’s growth into new territory and departing from their once heavily produced sound.
To me, it’s heartwarming to see Mount Kimbie come out of a four year hiatus with their new album Love What Survives, maintaining their sound while growing at the same time. The album is a quick-listen clocking in at 39 minutes, but Campos and Maker make every second count, creating what I would say to be one of the stronger, more efficient and unique albums released in 2017 so far.
Recommended If You Like: James Blake, Four Tet, Caribou, King Krule, Darkside, Jamie xx
Recommended Tracks: 3 (Audition), 4 (Marilyn), 8 (We Go Home Together) 9 (Delta)
Do Not Play: 2 (Blue Train Lines)
Written by Grant Martin on 11/01/2017