Channelling the spirit of Kevin Parker and walking him through the haze and laxidasical aura of artists like Kurt Vile and with a smidge of Damon Albarn thrown in for good measure, Frank Justin creates laid-back bedroom indie-pop that melts and meanders and burrows its way into your soul. Shrouded in reverb, Frank Justin rises from the ashes of Jacuzzi Onsen, his previous musical moniker, sounding more relaxed and I would suggest, a bit more earnest in his new approach. This EP flits from whimsical lilt to whimsical lilt and there’s a lo-fi charm throughout that’s absolutely unequivocal. This collection of spellbinding songs shimmers and slinks along undeniably confidently but at the same time rather reservedly. There’s a good deal of stylistic choices at play here. Sau Paulo, for instance, has a drum beat that almost sounds like an old hip-hop sample, Finska reminds me melodically of the classic Didn’t I by Darondo, Hold On is a bit Arlo Parks and Spider is somewhat reminiscent in places of Nice Dream by Radiohead. Meanwhile, No One has more than a touch of the criminally underrated Irish folk maestro Fionn Regan about it and Adelaide starts off sounding like a lost song from Frank Ocean’s Blonde mixed with Never Tear Us Apart by INXS. This is an enchanting and enticing blend of elements and it’s only the beginning of his journey. Exciting times.
Written by Kinda Grizzly
