Album Review: Boomgates - Double Natural

What started from such ad hoc foundations – mates catching up for a beer and a jam – has gradually morphed into something with substance, yet Melbourne band Boomgates' debut album Double Natural still arrives with baggage in the form of its membership; chiefly vocalists Brendan Huntley (Eddy Current Suppression Ring) and Steph Hughes (Dick Diver) and Twerps' bassist Rick Milovanovic. Trace elements of these outfits' music can be found in the Boomgates aesthetic, making it seem somehow familiar and unique at once.

The whole affair has a laidback, country-tinged charm and a distinctly Australian flavour. Opening track Flood Plain marries Triffids-esque lyrics to lo-fi indie fare, while the gently-lilting Layman's Terms is far closer in vibe to Twerps or Dick Diver than the urgency of ECSR. The dual vocalists bounce off each other throughout, Hughes coming across as both assured and reassuring – a mixture of innocence and wisdom – while Huntley seems slightly anxious but willing to forge ahead, working best when in unison on songs such as Natural Progression, Hold Me Now and Any Excuse. Cartons & Cans is an existential look at the recycling bin as a harbinger of routine – complete with whistling interlude – and a cool bass line snakes through the slightly maudlin Hanging Rock. Whispering Or Singing is a rumination on change and people leaving the neighbourhood, but for the most part Double Natural is a loose, breezy affair without too much angst or negativity.

It's a consistently mid-tempo album that's never challenging but never less than engaging – here's hoping that Boomgates transcends side-outing status because they've already unearthed a great dynamic and a delivered a strong batch of songs. A most excellent debut.