It would be easy to dismiss Club Kuru for falling on the languid, plodding side of psych music, if not for their consistent delivery of hooks, sometimes subtle but at other times euphoric. Their sound hasn't taken any surprising turns on their second full-length, but they have pared down everything that made their debut engaging, with even more focus on soft, luscious arrangements and honeyed vocals. They operate at a unique cross-section for the genre, with a lineage that can be traced through Pink Floyd, Tame Impala, and Mac DeMarco while referencing distinctly European psychedelia, including plenty of tom-tom rolls and a French spoken word intro. Meet Your Maker does take a while to warm up, but then again immediacy has never been their priority; instead they are content to take it easy while the hooks steadily roll in.
Their influences are never more apparent than in the first half of the record, with "By the Windowpane" borrowing elements from Pink Floyd's "Great Gig in the Sky," and Cherry Bloom" featuring some phased vocals that echo Kevin Parker. After a brief interlude, Meet Your Maker really comes into its own, with highlights including the strangely affecting tale of lost love on "Film Credits," and the strong vocal hooks on "49 Years" that are backed by some delicious, rolling guitar lines. Perhaps suitably, the title track pulls together many of the separate threads that run through the record, with an incredibly patient build-up that gives way to another strong vocal performance. The album closes with more characteristically lackadaisical numbers, save for the moody groove of "Don't Swim Don't Sink," leaving a sweet aftertaste and an affirmation that subtle hooks are no less effective.
© Liam Martin /TiVo