Larry Gus takes a bold step into previously unchartered waters with his latest album I Need New Eyes. Previous output, including the album preceding this Years Not Living, could be viewed as a more sample-based collection, whereas his newest release focuses on a more structured song-writing approach. It would however be incorrect to assume this means the Greece-based producer has lost any experimentalism with the record rich in instrumentals, synth-pop beats and winding vocals. Indeed it is Panagiotis Melidis’ distinct vocals which really come to the fore on this record, giving it an uncompromising yet unclouded vision as we’re led to explore the weird and wonderful mind of a musician who has positioned himself comfortably outside the realms of generic sound that litters music today.

The fact that Larry Gus’ native tongue isn’t English only seems to compliment the ambient nature of his music, with his intentionally distorted lyrics coupling with the real simplicity of the combination of complex percussion and electronic beats. The standout track on the album has to be ‘Black Veil of Fail’ which guides us into the album with Melidis’ far reaching vocals, accompanied by a more authentic lyric in his native tongue, alongside an array of wild, untouched musical expressions that somehow are warped to perfection. ‘NP-Complete’ is an example of the diverse range of voices that can be heard on the record, with wavey vocals accompanied by what sounds like a children’s chorus. The trippy beat and intricate instrumentation, make for a perfect match.

Larry Gus’ idiosyncratic and frantic sound certainly offers a welcomed alternate twist to a world content on reproducing the same thing over and over again. Strange and odd it is, but pivotally it works.

Nial Ballinger