Album Review: Delsinki Records - Tokyo Rose

Delsinki Records, the moniker of moustachioed singer-songwriter Craig Johnston, adventurously tributes traditional folk music with a contemporary flair. The EP moves from subtle electro flourishes to an aggressive build-up of violins in the ominous chorus of Simplify Me To The Villain. While Johnston's melodies capitalise on this nostalgia well, his lyrics and tone feel like a hackneyed tribute to an old-timey past. For instance, single Tokyo Rose evokes an orchestrated pirate aesthetic that hangs in the balance between humour and misguided, ale-swilling sincerity. He plays Ministry Of Art (St Kilda) on 25 Jun.