Jockstrap's Best Work So Far
REVIEWED BY: JOE DAVIS
Behind the music of London electronic/pop outfit 'Jockstrap', it's creative duo of Georgia Ellery and Taylor Skye should be understood as amongst the most compelling groups emerging from the UK underground right now. Wicked City, their first release since recently signing to iconic British label Warp Records, contains an array of diverse tracks, ranging from the slow, warm and stripped back piano based piece 'Yellow In Green', to the auto-tuned electronic pop banger 'City Hell', it is an EP of wide-ranging sounds and influences and succeeds at presenting Jockstrap as a group that should be paid significant attention to in 2020.
A strong appeal for many listeners would be the Injury Reserve feature on first track 'Robert', one I was particularly excited for, and it does not disappoint. With an experimental hip-hop influence, the glitchy and abrasive beats perfectly compliment the great feature verse from Injury Reserve’s Stepa J. Groggs. The final two minutes of the track really showcase the creativity of the duo and particularly Skye’s impressive production.
Following song 'Acid', the first of the singles released in the run up to the project, is a highlight on the EP for me. Ellery gives perhaps her best vocal performance on any Jockstrap song to date, whilst also demonstrating her ability on the violin, which we are more used to seeing in her role in post-punk band Black County, New Road, another one of the most exciting groups emerging in the UK. Another incredible vocal performance comes on the 2nd single 'The City', with the first half of the song following a similar structure to 'Yellow In Green', with a slower paced singular piano giving the spotlight to Ellery’s incredible vocal range. A typically Jockstrap glitchy transition takes us into the second half of the track, with an electronic instrumental featuring heavy distorted bass underlying seemingly random and jumpy lyrics that are as funny as they are ridiculous:
“the beaver was taking a shower
he refused to use the shower curtains
so blue water was flooding the bathroom”
This track really encapsulates Jockstrap, with the juxtaposition of beautiful, classically-influenced songwriting with creative electronically inspired beatsmithing. For this duo, such combinations are always married together so perfectly, and this EP is certainly no exception.
Wicked City is Jockstrap’s best project yet, and with three EPs (including the remix EP) under their belt, the next move for the group is likely to be a debut album, and with this project they’ve set a high bar for themselves to match.
- good -
highlights:
'acid', 'robert', 'the city'
Joe Davis is a Cardiff University graduate doing a panic masters in Public Policy next year. He procrastinates religiously via music, politics and football. Find him on insta.
Thanks for reading! Slow Motion Panic Masters is a music, arts and culture blog created and edited by Ben Wheadon, a literature student and musician based in South Wales. Follow us on instagram, like us on facebook and subscribe to our mailing list below to be alerted every time a new post is published on the site.
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