Auckland siblings Georgia and Caleb Nott are electro pop duo, Broods. After an infectious debut album, they’re back with the release of their second album, Conscious. Promising big things, the album sees the pair collaborating with the ever popular Tove Lo on ‘Freak of Nature’ and co-writing with the likes of Lorde on the track ‘Heartlines’.
A tale of love with synths is perhaps the only way to truly describe and encapsulate the essence of the new Broods album, Conscious. Starting off on a high, the initial track ‘Free’ has a powerful presence and full sound sure to awaken any dreary eyed, loved-up dreamer. Loud and proud, ‘Free’ appears as the leading single for the album. Vocalist and one half of the delectable duo that is Broods, Georgia, said ‘Free’ was “one of those breakthrough songs for us [Broods] when writing the album” – and I’d tend to agree. The track is definitely a stand out.
Capturing all the underlying themes associated with “love” and everything warm and fuzzy, Brood’s explore the emotions of lust, longing and heartache through a reminiscent 13 tracks. Due to the album being so lyrically involved and the fact that Broods are producing electro pop music (essentially dance music) it’s easy to get caught up in the music and synths rather than the lyrics themselves. But to truly appreciate the tale of Conscious you need lyrics (and to listen past the first few tracks, I promise it’s worth it). So fair warning, while it is a standout, it may take a few listens.
If there’s anything I love as a listener, it’s being able to relate to the artist through their music. The album is somewhat allusive, yet I still managed to find myself relating to some element of each song – even if it was just a single line that had a tug at the old heart strings – each resonated with me differently. Some honourable mentions are:
- ‘We had Everything’, which appears as the second track on the album, poses as an anthem for young lovers. No doubt, this track makes for a great reminiscent of all past lovers encapsulating the essence of missing, longing and reflecting.
- ‘Heartlines’, the kiwi collaboration with Lorde, offers beautifully delivered vocals which will lead you astray and then straight back into a strong and emotion-filled chorus. The lingering sound that is ‘Heartlines’ reignites your urge to fall in love, over and over again.
- ‘Freak of Nature’ is an emotional power ballad that will leave you with chills. Featuring Tove Lo, the track offers a nice variation in vocals which work delightfully together in complimenting the track. The track also provides a sufficient amount of “Woooaaah-ohhhs” making it the perfect shower tune – it’s definitely one to belt out while shampooing your locks (my thoughts personally).
- ‘Couldn’t Believe’ is just a full blown feel good tune that radiates good vibes. A track written about the night the Broods singer (Georgia) got engaged and the euphoria associated with downright, crazy, undeniable love. It has all the good makings of an electro pop song, generic but upbeat.
Last but not least, the grand finale and the last track on the album is ‘Conscious’ (which fittingly enough was written last). It’s definitely an explosion – an explosion of both emotion and music which makes it a fitting ending to a wholesome, sensory filled album.
It could be said that the pair had some big shoes to fill based on the success of their first debut album, Evergreen (released in 2014). However, I’d have to argue, ‘Conscious’ is just simply Brood-ing.
