Two Star & The Dream Police

This is a record that rewards patient listening and just letting the music speak to you. Many times while listening, I found myself floating in the minimal soundscapes, which often lack drums on some tracks, creating a euphoric and melancholic atmosphere that really draws you in. Initially jarring, it wasn't until "Rylee and I" that I started to enjoy the album, as it takes a while to get started and the minimal aesthetic can make it hard to keep your attention, especially with the first couple of tracks melding into one another. Despite its messiness, mk.gee has created a solid foundation, and when the tracks work, they really hit, allowing you to lose yourself in these soundscapes. I thoroughly enjoyed this record and could see it growing on me with further listens. A few months ago, I came across a video of Mk.gee playing "Are You Looking Up" while hanging out the door of a moving train, much like on the album art. The live version was really impressive—dare I say, better than the studio version—and piqued my interest, so I decided to check this record out. I'm happy I did, as this is an interesting, alternative-bedroom-pop-ish listen. What I love most about this record is how it sounds; it’s like morning dew and mist, perfectly captured by the expressive guitar playing and Mk.gee's subtle effects. The vocals are amazing, full of emotion, often reminding me of Dijon, who Mk.gee has worked with previously and who is credited as a producer on this record. There's a raw quality to them, perfectly complemented by the sparse, dry drums, random spasms and jolts of distortion and bass, and subtle background vocals and synths. This record sounds incredible. However, the songwriting is where it falls short. While tracks like "New Low," "Rylee & I," and "Breakthespell" are enjoyable, they rely heavily on experimentation and emotive performance and don't feel like complete tracks. Nonetheless, there are excellently written songs like "I Want" and "Are You Looking Up." "I Want" is truly an amazing song, almost reaching 80's power-ballad, stadium-filling rock highs while remaining subdued and beautiful—it might be one of the songs of the year for me. Overall, this was a very pleasant album to listen to, and I’m excited to hear more from Mk.gee, especially if he continues to evolve and mature as a songwriter. I hope to catch him live someday, because that voice... Damn.

MK.GEE - Two Star & The Dream Police

RATING - 8.7/10

FAVORITE TRACKS - Alesis, Are You Looking Up, Candy, How Many Miles

GENRE - Alternative rock, Indie pop, Alternative R&B, Bedroom pop