The Green Child

The Green Child embrace a fuller sound and a fuller roster on their latest album. The first two records were largely the product of Mikey Young and Raven Mahon, crafted as a duo and set with austerity in mind. Even as the sound began to seep in new directions on Shimmering Basset, there was still a tether to the home-hewn sounds of synth and the steady snap of drum machines. On Look Familiar Raven and Mikey fill out the backline, adding Shaun Gionis (of Boomgates) on drums and Alex Macfarlane (Twerps) on guitar and synths. From the first moments, they splash the band’s songs with color and widen the scope. Shaun gives the band a rhythmic backbone that’s much more supple than before and Alex shades in the shapes that had only been hinted at prior, giving the band a texture and glow that radiate, melting the ice off of their past.

Mahon’s vocals found themselves set in a gossamer haze on Shimmering Bassett and they spin the silk into shimmering gold on Look Familiar. Warmer here, but still lost in a dream that’s gorgeous and gauzy. The shift comes with a heavier guitar lean with Macfarlane and Young balancing out the synth-forward foundations of the band with with a bit more bite. Fuzz finds its way into the forefront on “Private Laugh,” loping leads tangle through the fog on “Wow Factor,” and the band gets straight-up strummy on “Feet Are Rebels.” An infusion of pop does the band good, turning their textured temperaments into New Wave gems in the space of ten songs. The additional players turn out to be just the thing the band needs to push their sound to its full potential.

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