Not Many Experts

Why is melancholy so appealing? It’s pretty obscene to take so much pleasure from somebody’s misfortune, but we must all be awful human beings because it’s just so bloody satisfying to hear even more unfortunate souls spill their tragic lives all over moody atmospherics. This is where the music of Australian band Lowlakes comes in; over their recent debut EP they evoke the malevolent hum of Joy Division, the poignancy of The National, and even the precise eccentricity of Wild Beasts. They’re pretty tough comparisons to come anywhere close to satisfying, but Lowlakes aren’t far away at all. “Buffalo”, in particular, is a good introduction to the EP, beginning with a cocksure swagger that melts into a cry so fragile that it’s practically shattered already. It’s easy to make glum music, but tough to do it with any gravitas; Lowlakes aren’t having any problems in that area. 

You can buy the whole EP here.