Rating: NNN
Toronto’s Electric Youth first broke out in 2011 with their massive hit song A Real Hero, the catchy mono-beat anthem of Ryan Gosling’s silent, lethal brooding in Drive. Three years later, the duo – producer Austin Garrick and vocalist Bronwyn Griffin – have finally released their debut full-length. Fittingly, classic films inspired plenty of songs on Innerworld (the band cites City Of God, Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, and Videodrome), and that cinematic atmosphere is ever-present.
While it’s a noble follow-up, it doesn’t quite capture the energy of that maiden single. Every song is easy on the ears, but the tunes also blend into the background fairly easily. Still, Garrick’s lush, mesmeric soundscapes have a rhythmic blend of sprightly synth lines and drum machines, while Griffin’s pleasant vocals provide structure and a human touch throughout.
Top track: Runaway
Electric Youth play the Hoxton November 18.
