By Morgan Eisaman, Columns Editor

[Rough Trade; 2024]

Rating: 7/10

Key Tracks: “Holy, Holy,” “The Magician,” “Motorbike”

While Black Midi is indefinitely out of commission, former frontman Geordie Greep is just getting started. The New Sound is a schmaltzy melodramatic accumulation of Latin-inspired rhythms, sophisticated jazz and a sprinkling of avant-prog complexity that made the London-based band such a fresh and addicting listen. Of course, it wouldn’t be the same without the unmistakable eccentricity of Greep’s declarative drawl. Greep compiles these sounds into a solo album that clings onto a sliver of Black Midi’s signature tone while adding his own sultry, intimate spin. 

The creation was quite spontaneous, with most of the album produced in Brazil within the pockets of free time during the former band’s most recent tour. Greep collaborated with local musicians in the area to capture an authentic Brazilian jazz sound, featuring drummer Morgan Simpson and vocalist Seth Evans of HMLTD. His departure from Black Midi brings forth what he describes as his most transparent work, reflecting his personal music taste and presenting a satirical take on his first-hand experiences with club-goers and their longing for human connection.

Read more: Album Review: Current Joys – East My Love

The first three tracks transport you to a smoky, dimly-lit bar with a martini in one hand, a lit cigar in the other and the stench of hyper-masculinity in the air. “Blues” opens the album, lyrically guiding the listener through a vulgar pep-talk over a series of tight-knit guitar riffs. The latter half develops into an accusatory warning accompanied by Simpson’s intricate percussive style and a driving push from the brass. Honestly, I’m not in love with this track. It doesn’t give off an establishing-type vibe that I feel an album opener should have, and the repetitiveness of the guitar combined with Greep’s dense lyricism becomes a little mind-numbing after a while. That being said, the musicianship and technicality are off the charts, as proven by the remaining 10 tracks.

“Holy, Holy” is glitzy, catchy, and just plain fun. When I first heard the single back in August, I was drawn in by the sheer grooviness and Greep’s emotionally charged vocals, which, from a technical standpoint, have improved immensely from the Schlagenheim era. Upon further listenings, Greep’s personification of a Jay Gatsby-esque figure enslaved by unadulterated passion rose to the forefront. He spews a conceited collection of ego-inflating claims, all to convince both a sex worker and himself that he is the most bodacious specimen on the planet. The song is characterized by two contrasting sections, starting with an explosive fusion of jazz and salsa underneath Greep’s delusions of grandeur. The tone shifts, and suddenly, we see a glimpse into the internalized loneliness of Greep’s character as the texture thins into a melancholic confession, complete with dreamy chords and desperation: “I want you to put your hand on my knee / Would that be alright?” It’s a pitiful sight, but it makes for an addictively glamorous sound. 

The album continues with its title track, which is a toe-tapping instrumental that sounds like it should be playing in the background of a jacked up Mario Kart course. Next is “Walk Up,” a Greep-ified take on the Black Midi original, “Lumps” — previously covered by Australian band Eunuchs in 2022. I like aspects of both recordings, but I really jive with the delicate intensity of Greep’s version. “Through a War” displays an ebb and flow between the protagonist recounting the horrors of a battlefield and the horrors of an STD he received from his lover. His infatuation with love, however, twists the sickening disease into a saccharine symbol of devotion. The stark difference between these two ideas is mimicked by the alluring Afro-Caribbean jazz feel that grows in intensity until the song ends with an arpeggiated guitar riff and a triumphant brass interjection.

“Motorbike” is a departure from the previous tracks on the album, with producer and keyboardist Seth Evans featured as the primary vocalist. His vocals are fervent and sound relatively good, but it feels almost like an out of place interruption from the distinct timbre of Greep’s voice. I would’ve enjoyed the song more outside of the context of The New Sound, but I still appreciate the instrumentalists mimicking the industrial sound of an engine rev in between Evans’ soulful performance.

There’s a lot to digest in “The Magician,” a myriad of musical regret packed into a staggering 12 minutes and 20 seconds. This song is undoubtedly the highlight of the album, and I’ve been looking forward to a studio recording ever since I had the privilege to hear it live during the summer of 2023. It’s a tender, introspective, and vulnerable depiction of the protagonist’s breakdown centered around soft but striking vocals and blissfully bittersweet chord progressions. 

As the song progresses, it almost feels like an extension of the latter half of “Holy, Holy,” except the protagonist’s deep-seated insecurities and fears are now gushing out alongside a chorus of cinematic strings, “And I awake from the dream / No, none of it’s real / I don’t sleep, I don’t sleep! / I wander through cavernous thoughts and regret.” The intensity of the track is never lost once the momentum starts to build, and it snowballs into a discordant instrumental section guided by a feverish drum break. The sharp shrieks of amp feedback close out the song on an uncomfortable note, the kind of uncomfortable that makes you want to go back and experience it all over again. It’s a centerpiece full of raw, passionate energy, and it’s worth the extra listen or two to fully absorb the purposeful intricacies of Greep’s lyricism.

Greep’s grandiose creation has its flaws, but there’s no doubt that he has opened a path to a solo career full of opportunities to flourish and explore his ever-expanding sound. He has a knack for storytelling, and his talent is apparent in the way he captures the gradual introspection of a satirized egomaniac. While I’d love to give The New Sound five booms, I’d say it’s worth a solid three-and-a-half.

Listen here: https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-new-sound/1752102463