Just the right amount of cowbell

This smooth and carefully pieced album by Gee and Scott of Malakai utilizes old-school samples and original vocals, making it compelling and eccentric.

Blending retro ’60s pop-style vocals and instrumentals with harder distorted rock sounds creates a fresh and crisp sound. The album is focused and has an overall air of order and specific direction which makes it very enjoyable to listen to. Often forgotten, but still important elements – a cowbell, extremely filtered and distorted guitars, tambourines and dense synthesizers – make a comeback in this album.

Many of the samples on “Ugly Side” seem obscure but are carefully chosen and really add to the individuality of this album. Hopefully we hear more of this type of music. Maybe the alternative music scene in England is worth looking further into.