Album Review: Gymnast - 'Experiments in the Revival of Organisms'
Rotterdam based, Mancunian duo, Gymnast provide a masterclass in dark electronic dream pop on stylish new album, ‘Experiments in the Revival of Organisms’.
Gymnast is the project of Cathy Wilcock and Chris Lyon who are championing a melodic pop sound with a strong, sensory, experimental twist. The duo’s new album ‘Experiments in the Revival of Organisms’ kicks off with ample intrigue in ‘Ghosts’, minimal melancholic piano adds ambient intrigue before Wilcock’s breathy, captivating vocal comes in alongside niggling, and suspenseful textures that creates a disorientating effect which layers into a wonderful instrumental as the track devleops. Spine tingling cello weeps with an exotic grief which is a real highlight of the track and Lyon pairs up on vocal harmonies with Wilcock to really hit home the desolate lyrics , “Well, we got this wrong ten thousand times, we watched ten thousand flares, fall fathoms down”.
‘A Muscle Marked’ makes up the centrepiece of the album, introducing itself with a somewhat retro, synth pop heavy sound. There’s more of a groove-tastic fluidity here as Gymnast hone their playful side in creating a quirky, feel-good love song with the matter-of-fact lyrics, “ How you hold my heart, It’s a muscle marked”.
‘Go Golden’ wraps the album up, seeing Gymnast experiment beautifully between spoken word and atmospheric vocals, paired with cool trip hop leaning production, seeing ‘Experiments in the Revival of Organisms’ wind down with huge chill-out vibes.
‘Experiments in the Revival of Organisms’ is an experimental and intelligently crafted album that explores the highs and lows of human emotion with abstract, poetic, flare. A lovingly crafted, DIY effect that sure knows how to turn heads.
Words of Karla Harris