If you enjoyed the cacophonous hooks of Micachu and the Shapes’ 2009 debut Jewellery, you’ll be happy to hear much of the same on the band’s second studio album Never. The LP may seem languid upon first listen, but it packs a punch. Although she’s classically trained, frontwoman Mica Levi finds merriment in the use of nontraditional instruments and household objects on Never—therein lies its uniqueness. The first track “Easy” starts off with what sounds like a cowbell gone mad. Caught up in a whirlwind of lyrics and brash guitar, the song is swept up by the buzz of a vacuum near the end. Songs like “Low Dogg” beg for comparison to the fun and raucous sound of Sleigh Bells, while upbeat, danceable tracks “Heaven” and “You Know” are balanced by the subdued vocals on “Fall” and “Nothing.” A successful blend of several genres, Never mixes the buoyancy of electronic pop with a brash punk sound.
Micachu and the Shapes | Never, $11.42, amazon.com
By Lara Streyle
This review appears in the Aug/Sept 2012 issue of BUST Magazine with cover girl Tavi Gevinson. Subscribe now.
