Superorganism - Superorganism

Bringing together eight musicians hailing from (deep breath) Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, Superorganism is a fitting moniker for this hive of activity. With blockbuster ambitions of expansion, and an almost pathologically infectious ear for melody, ‘Superorganism’ channels the choppy switch-about and fuzzy vocal samples of The Avalanches throughout, cramming strangeness into every corner. On tracks ‘It’s All Good’ and biggest single ‘Something For Your M.I.N.D’ - a woozily memorable wash of earworm psychedelia and call-and-response vocals - it’s an exciting approach; in small doses, at least.

Taking on online fame-chasers with gaudy aplomb on ‘Everybody Wants to be Famous’ and writing what could easily be a seafood-themed Beck song from an alternate universe for ‘The Prawn Song’, this debut album feels coherent in that every song is born from the same basic stem cells; fuelled by the same thirst for weirdness.

It’s just a shame that Superorganism’s main calling card soon grows repetitive, and you can’t but think that this debut might’ve been a more diverse offering further down the line. Excess and saturation can only get a band so far without a knowing wink to match, and at the moment, it’s that mischievous streak of personality that feels slightly absent.