Kissy Sell Out - Homesick

Kissy Sell Out’s debut album ‘Youth’ provided a fun, summery, soundtrack to sunny afternoons spent sipping a beer down the local green. It didn’t contain an ounce of pretention, and was the polar opposite of a difficult listen. It wasn’t greeted with rave reviews or awards but that wasn’t what it was made for, something very refreshing in the sometimes all too serious musical climate we live in. With bouncy synths and tight drum pads, it was what one would describe as ‘a guilty pleasure’, almost too sweet for the average pallet, but what else would you expect from Radio 1’s most hyperactive host?

New single ‘Homesick’ is slightly different to the previous formula, exchanging fruity electro-house hooks for a more chart friendly, bassy sound. It doesn’t work nearly as well. It hurts to knock such a swell guy but this single is a bit of a misfire, which can be put down largely to the featuring of ‘Oh Snap!!’, your typical prime time ‘rapper’ - using the term very lightly; he sounds more like a compere at a gig who shouts at the crowd to hype them up. I’m sure it will sound amazing on a ‘mega fresh’ (is that what the kids call it?) sound system in Magaluf, but lazy summer listening it is not, and without a hint of sugary goodness.

It is a real shame, and maybe this track is simply a populist single to encourage sales of a more satisfying record, but the title is rather apt - trying to lap up this chart dirge does result in you feeling rather, well, sick. And so, after three and a half minutes of hollow anti-music you are left a little bewildered, and with an overwhelmingly bitter taste in your mouth.