THE MURDER CAPITAL – GIGI’S RECOVERY

The record opens in a curious and entrancingly dark mood with Existence and how said namesake seems to be fading; setting course for the main theme of the album; before breaking free with Crying and elevating into something with a distinctly stimulating verve, but still retains that warping, rapturous sense of atmosphere while frontman James and both his slick vocals and creative, fixating words take centre stage.

Return My Head definitely kicks up the energy levels and gets a good old catchy beat on the go, while the great lyrics encompass the unbearable amount of negative baggage being carried mentally and trying to become free of the pain, then there’s Ethel which is the most sonically musing cut yet, with very nice riffs, rich bass tones, battering drums, and such strong, sonorous string/electronic mixtures that spark an ominous feeling, all while, once again, the singing drips with vivid emotion.

The definitive keys and chords of The Stars Will Leave Their Stage are so cool and drive the melody and stand out among the rumbling rhythm, and the writing has reams with passion in that battle to at last break free and leave a worthwhile impression, while Belonging is incredibly hushed and haunting; all about publicly expressing the hurt that’s been endured.

The Lie Becomes The Self physically has more meat to it but is equally just as eerie; the lush pianos help in that matter; with that focus on how spending so long being caught in a horrible false state of mind through both self-deprecation and the bad influences of others can manipulate and convince you that this is who you truly are, when in fact nothing could be further from the truth and you’re actually straying from you who genuinely are.

The drumming is on superior tight form in the thrilling A Thousand Lives, plus the guitar flickers and the harmonic hooks are damn infectious, then after that ballistic rush is We Had To Disappear which also has this animated life to it while James continues to impress through his concentrated performance.

Rays of positivity really start to become present in Only Good Things, showcasing that things are beginning to turn around for the better, and you find yourself happy about that fact. This naturally flows through into the captivating title track where that long sought escape into freedom finally comes through, as well reflected in the prosperous manner committed by the band, and afterwards, they cap off well with Exist.

Needless to say that The Murder Capital made quite the newsworthy breakthrough with their debut When I Have Fears back in 2019, establishing the Dublin act rightfully so as the next big thing in post punk, and this sophomore release has firmly verified that matter.

Gigi’s Recovery is a beautifully constructed album pieced together by a range of remarkable numbers that validly chronicle, as the name suggests, the recovery process from the deepest and darkest depths of depression and how the folk you surround yourself with play a major factor in your livelihood, and everything from the lyrics to the performances are exceptionally convincing and legitimate, and it is guaranteed to make a resolutely indelible impact on the audience.

AVAILABLE ON FRIDAY 20TH JANUARY!