Winning ‘best band’ at the unsigned music awards in 2017 with only one track released, MKII have set themselves a standard that is going to be hard to break. Recorded with producer Nicholas Fournier, even more expectations are set upon the duo, so how exactly do they fare in this new musical world?
MKII set their standards high with their original single ‘Breaking Out’. Mixed by Nicolas Fournier, (Muse, Biffy Clyro, Fall Out Boy), it’s easy to see where that varying musical influences stem from in the EP. Brash electronic vibes with a hint of simplicity is a complex technique that the duo has cleverly claimed from their first single and thrown across the whole release. Interestingly, while their single stands out, the other tracks do not fall behind whatsoever, all following a similar strength and potential throughout. As a whole, the talent seeping through this release is the bands ability to create almost an entirely new world just through their sound. The beauty of cinematic, atmospheric rock truly comes through here, especially through the track ‘Isolation’. Simplistic atmospheric expanses with hints of the cinematic touch MKII are bringing into their music.
‘Delirium’ picks up through its progression. A packed bridge with added strings (featuring the string quartet from the Up North Session Orchestra) and other effects turn the track into something comparable to a movie soundscape. Atmospherically, the musical duo is high up on adding a cinematic, open space aura to their tracks, giving listeners almost a story narrated by Alex Spychalski powerful vocals and Andy Hind’s electronic musicality. Even the end gives listeners a beautiful outro, something slow, supple yet still with that flowing heaviness etched deep in its core
Forwarding to ‘Victorious’, engraved with a simplistic, beautiful flowing pre-verse slowly evolving into the heavier core at the root of the groups sound. Perhaps a little more depth through the chorus is needed in this track, but that’s always an improvement that can be worked on in the future. A highlight of the track is the echoic backing vocals haunting the tracks inner layers, just one example of the hidden gems carefully filtered between the tracks layers. Then ‘Guilt’. Everything in this track flows in a very interesting way. The creative mindset shows the smooth techniques the duo can use to push their music down the stream of sound. Progression through ‘Guilt’ is like its own story, similar with ‘victorious’ in a simpler level. Being able to create a story, almost a sense of action or narrative simply through an instrumental styled approach is a skill well rounded by the group, showing they have the fundamentals of a cinematic sound.
MKII have had some big expectations thrown at them, but with five tracks and a defining sound they have broken through this barrier faster than ever expected. Could they be the next Muse? No, because this group are their own defined style that will only become more refined as they progress. Keep these guys on your radar, as they’re not losing sight of their future.
Rating: 10/10
EUPHORIA OF BREAKDOWN 