One of New Zealand’s quality acts return with their first original material since 2016 as Unknown Mortal Orchestra unleash ‘American Guilt’. Ruban Nielson’s group has meandered between Psychedelia to Electronica amongst hints of other sounds, making it sound oh so natural in whatever sound they’re wearing at the time. Their new single ramps up the typical mild lo-if sound to fuzzy, distorted whirring with Ruban’s creaking vocals cutting through to the centre of the sound. It evokes all of that Desert Rock imagery and though immaculate in its delivery; it is a well worn sound and you imagine one that can only serve them a finite amount. It does show that can tangle with a bulkier, heavier sound, it this is not an album defining song so you’d imagine there’s more to come.
Owen Riddle
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