MEZKO affirm their place on the Sydney music scene with an audacious, slashing mix of heavy guitars and ethereal synths. The opening track "Trust" from their debut EP Polychronic blurs the genre line between electro and metal, a blend on paper that seems as farfetched as seafood and peanut butter. But if you’ve ever had satay prawns you’ll know, the best harmonies arise from polar opposites.
The heavy static from the guitar mixed in with a funky, thumping bass create a confusing response in my body, should I be head banging to his? Or is it more of a groovy number peppered with hypotonic synths, that I can absently sway too, whilst the single-word lyric "trust" is repeated in the bridge.
The EP’s high energy shifts a titch for the more down tone vibe of the second track "Steady On." The trance-inducing synth link up nicely with the slashing guitar chords and solo later on in the song. It feels like you are moving down a gyrating, bending wormhole whilst a 1980s-guitar solo stops you in your tracks to look around in complete awe.
The EP's instrumental title track is even heavier, with thundering rock guitar dominating the sound scape. Arguably, it doesn't deviate enough from the rest of the EP. However, "Everyone" pays homage to acid-house with lots of droopy, drizzly, acid synths underlining what has become the trade mark sound of the EP; heavy guitar static, thumping bass and droning vocals.
"Without You" is much more indie-pop sounding than the genre blurring tone of the other songs. It’s a nice song to end with, and there’s a robotic distortion on the vocals that sound like a sample from a Daft Punk track. It would have been nicer to have another song on the EP that goes down this route, as most of the record seems to be noise-inducing (which still has its time and place).
MEZKO certainly go far enough to be edgy for a mainstream indie audience. Perhaps the only thing preventing them from fully reaching a grungy underground sound were their lyrics. Sometimes the vocals don't seem very genuine in their delivery, as if hiding behind a nonchalant hipster tone to appeal to a big market of indie music listeners. Musically, however, Polychronic is awesome. The EP is really intense and loud but at the same time comforting.
It was a strange experience listing to the record start to finish, its definitely not one for your lazy Sunday, more like beyond midnight when you feel it’s time to hit the hay but still want to keep partying. Polychronic will give you a wickedly beautiful kick up the rear end.
Polychronic is out on digital formats on Friday October 27th.
