The Internet: Hive Mind — ‘a subtle and engrossing experience’
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Punk-rap provocateurs Odd Future briefly aroused Eminem-style controversy in the early 2010s, accused of promoting homophobia, misogyny and violence. The Internet were formed by two ex-members of the Los Angeles group, Syd Bennett and Matt Martians. With a band name that defies googling and album titles that embrace anti-individualism — the last one was called Ego Death, the new one is Hive Mind — the distance from Bennett and Martians’ days in the attention-seeking Odd Future could hardly be greater.
Their music occupies a different dimension too. Hive Mind is languid-sounding but carefully constructed psychedelic funk and R&B. Songs have the loose feel of studio jams, a collective effort, warmed by the gentle glow of Bennett’s unforced voice.
Deftly programmed drum patterns in “Mood” reveal the influence of Pharrell Williams’ production outfit, The Neptunes, a sign of the sharp beat-making sensibility that lies beneath the surface mellowness.
It makes for a subtle and engrossing experience, if at times a little too subtle — the songs have a tendency to meld into one another, undifferentiated by the guest appearances that enlivened Ego Death.
★★★☆☆
‘Hive Mind’ is released by Columbia
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