Kooky collective Stalking Like Candy have just delivered Black Samba, their second EP release, creating wicked art-rock-samba-rave explosions.
Only one year after their successful debut album, Punctronika, Stalking Like Candy have been working away to deliver five wildly eccentric tracks.
Stalking Like Candy explores the group’s curious and experimental tendencies, combining their senses of playfulness and humour to create an unlikely sonic journey.
Opening track Can’t You See starts with a peaceful soundscape that bursts into strong leading vocals, paired with percussion and chants which creates a fast-paced yet eerie western vibe. It becomes immediately obvious that the group love to experiment with a vast array of sounds, creating unique combinations and distinct layers.
Nine Round Blitz takes listeners on a different turn, kicking off with female vocal harmonies and a synth sounds reminiscent of the 1980s. The male vocals create a stark contrast to the spirited backing sounds, creating a darker yet more playful tone. Their eccentric lyricism is wholly original; however, this group’s music could be compared to experimental electronic rock artists like The Garden and The Prodigy.
Black Samba lives up to its name, creating elevator-worthy samba vibes that pull listeners in to move. However, the jaunty soundscape of a Brazilian dance party is interrupted by dark and scratchy vocals that could only be compared to an evil beast. This then contrasts to the innocent, playful, and cleverly humorous closing vocals.
Lead single Friedrich Nietzsche is perhaps the EP’s most manic and experimental track. Stalking Like Candy delve into political philosophy with swift flute lines, frenzied and feverish sound effects and backing vocals (recorded in the bunkers on Malabar Headland) creating a wildly unpredictable track that keeps you guessing over its three-minute course.
The closing track takes a much more playful turn with some unexplainable and humorous lyrics. Fat Man Smoking Cigarettes forces you to bop along with the bass as the sound slowly builds until it becomes all-consuming. This track seems like the perfect place for the roller coaster to stop after what has been a hell of a ride.
It is clear that Stalking Like Candy are up for an adventure when they make music, creating unimaginable and unexplainable realms of sound that invite listeners to fall so deeply in. Black Mamba is a proper example of what it means to experiment with audio, creating sensory overloads which are as impressive as they are explosive.
Black Samba is out November 29th. Catch the group launching their EP that night at The Townie in Newtown, Sydney – details here.
