Mount Kimbie: Cold Spring Fault Less Youth – review

What happens when all the guitar bands die? The new Mount Kimbie record might spark a few thoughts on this score. Formerly of the school marked post-dubstep, this London duo have moved on with their second album, staying largely electronic but eschewing genre work in favour of evocation of mood and more traditional songwriting. Kai Campos, one half of Mount Kimbie, emerges as a vocalist, alongside guest appearances from the scratchy, cantankerous King Krule, whose two collaborations – You Took Your Time and Meter, Pale, Tone – are among the best tracks on the album. The mood is what is rendered most effectively: delicate synth tones are set to echoing percussion and low-key distortion, and the melodies are melancholy. There's not a guitar to be heard, yet if you needed an existing musical term to capture this mood, you'd be tempted to use "indie". It will be interesting to hear what happens next.