Bleep

The world has kept a watchful eye on Ed and Tom Russell, not least for their solo projects as Tessela and Truss, but for their career defining collaborations as Overmono. Alongside their own Poly Kicks label, Overmono has been each artist’s main gig since they joined forces in 2016, with each new release firmly cementing their "modern legend status". After a seven year streak of captivating club EPs, their long awaited, highly anticipated debut album Good Lies is here, and it looks like they’re poised to keep the momentum going for a while yet.

Carrying on from their previous EP Cash Romantic while also calling back to the heated raves of their introductory Arla trio, Overmono explore in greater detail semi-ambient meditations and synth hypnagogia while still making good on their penchant for atmospheric, banging club tracks. 'Feelings Plain' eases us in with the bare essentials: deep bass thuds and spectrally chopped vocal samples that reverently harmonise as the layers build. It acts almost like a mission statement for the duo, highlighting their background in kinetic dance music with a focus on silky pop and R&B vocals dissolved into tape flutters.

'Arla Fearn' signals the ruckus incoming, with overpowering low frequencies tunnelling beneath a slick and slippery two-step beat sure to soundtrack many warehouse raves. Corroded, classic house-tinged keys lead into the title track, a dazzling sunlit contrast of movement-inducing breakbeat shuffles with a Smerz sample disintegrating into the aftermath. Tactile rhythms rip through ‘Is U’ with clips of Tirzah’s ‘Gladly’ folded in like vocal origami, and we can't forget to mention 'So U Kno', with pneumatic beats hitting hard and blowing off steam, and a plunging monolithic bassline that makes this track a DJ set staple.

As Overmono continue to evolve their club sounds, their debut album marks a celebrated milestone in their career.