“The evolution will be not compromised”: The Murder Capital’s introspective sophomore album reveals the strength of their artistry.
After more than three years, The Murder Capital have emerged from the darkness of When I Have Fears, and stepped into the light and promise of Gigi’s Recovery.
The album is somewhat of an evolution. It puts to bed The Murder Capital we heard on their gloomy and grief-stricken 2019 debut and introduces a band that looks to the future. Gigi’s Recovery takes a fresh direction, one led by the band searching for a certain feeling and wrapping their sound around it.
Layered synthesisers provide the core to the record’s soundscape and drive it into a permanently dense and pensive mood. Its musical tone is complemented by the exploration of existence, love, and desire; portrayed through lead singer James McGovern’s own self-analysis.
From the deeply intimate and stripped-back ‘Existence’ (“Strange feeling I’m dealing with, I can’t admit it – I’m losing grip,”) to the synth-drenched and moody ‘Crying’ (“Is this our way to escape? … Is this our end?”) through to the mournful desire of long song, ‘Belonging’ (“I love you, you know that/my feelings are of belonging”), McGovern embarks on a journey of self-discovery and inquisition.
Shimmering synths and scratchy guitars provide the vehicle for the explorative journey, with frequent reminders that this is now a band who, rather than blow your hair off, seek instead to develop delicate soundscapes awash with intoxicating complexities (‘The Stars Will Leave Their Stage’; ‘Return My Head’; ‘We Had To Disappear’). The change in musical direction sees the five-piece settled and comfortable in a new and matured sound.
The album’s existential inquisition reaches its peak on the mesmerising ‘Ethel’ – a song that strives to decide if the right choices have been made. “You better get it right, one chance at this life” McGovern sings as navigates his inquisition, while ‘A Thousand Lives’ and ‘Only Good Things’ explore the intricacies of desire. The former does so with whirling drums, floating synths and harsh guitars; all of which are juxtaposed against McGovern’s intimate vocal.
Gigi’s Recovery moves away from the gloomy nature of its predecessor and, notably, away from a band whom they are no doubt tired of being compared to: Fontaines DC. But, though not musically similar, there are similarities in the approach both bands take to making new music; they are both uninterested in treading over familiar ground, instead being driven by artistic evolution, rather than by conformity.
The band have made an album that felt right to them and hasn’t pursued, despite its success, the themes and sounds of its predecessor. It’s a record of artistic autonomy and adventurous self-belief, both assets that will no doubt have a lasting effect.