Augustus and John: Above Water Hull - Album Review

If you haven’t heard of Mike Smalle before, it’s probably because his musical projects have tended to fly a little under the radar.

That’s through no fault of his own, however; the Galway man’s output as Cane 141 and B-Movie Lightning have both been excellent but teaming up with Italian producer Matteo Grassi may be just the ticket.

Their debut album plumbs the electronic end of the musical spectrum, with atmospheric, synth-laden creations Cosmopolis and pop tunes that touch upon Hot Chip (Crosslines, If So Then Yes), New Order (Lights Out) and even a clubby Depeche Mode (Lennon in America).

It may not push any boundaries and admittedly drifts into repetition on occasion, but this is a more than half-decent exploration of Irish electronica.

[ augustusandjohn.com ]