Mar 01, 2023
Web Exclusive
By Matt the Raven
The debut album by Miss Grit, the musical creation of New York-based musician Margaret Sohn, acts as a soundtrack to a future society where artificially intelligent beings pursue the destiny of non-human machines as they move from their helpless origin to awareness and liberation. Using the scuzzy, guitar-based indie rock heard on their two previously released EPs as a launching pad into the inevitable future, Follow the Cyborg is decidedly more cinematic in its approach and scope.
In ways similar to St. Vincent and Goldfrapp, the more upbeat tracks, such as single “Like You,” “Your Eyes Are Mine,” “Lain (phone clone),” and the title track, bristle with experimental electronic beats, soothing keys, and booming bass that are dynamically packaged into animated arrangements that feature Sohn’s wild guitar bursts and their distinctively crystalline voice. The tracks develop slowly with a clever mingling of hypnotic beats, surging guitar riffs, and fluid electronic textures, unfolding like a flower to expose, and occasionally unleash, a cybernetic infusion lurking and swirling below the melodies.
As moods morph from murky to majestic and back again, the songs are crafted with creativity and a willingness to experiment. They are informed with a phantastical, sometimes almost heavenly, vibe yet somehow clinging to a subterranean edge as well. Sohn’s velvety voice acts as a common thread that links the tracks into a cohesive album while occasionally showing off their guitar chops.
Follow the Cyborg impresses and excites with sophisticated and soothing electronic foundations adorned with waves of atmospheric indie rock wrapped in creative melodies with waiflike vocals that will not only perk your ears but fit within the concept. Sohn and guests—Stella Mozgawa of Warpaint, Aron Kobayashi Ritch of Momma, and close friend and fellow songwriter Pearla—have created emotional songs with a layered and attractive sound justifying repeated plays that are more rewarding each time. (www.missgrit.com)
Author rating: 8/10
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