Mount Kimbe

Sunset Violent

In a musical journey spanning 15 years, UK duo Dominic Maker and Kai Campos of Mount Kimbie have navigated through various genres, from post-dubstep to postpunk, techno to R&B, and ambient garage to lo-fi pop.

Their repertoire includes DJ mixes, double albums, and notable collaborations with the likes of James Blake, Jay-Z, King Krule, and Travis Scott. Now, they venture into new territory with their latest offering: a gritty, shoegazy, postrock album titled The Sunset Violent. With the addition of new band members Andrea Balency-Béarn and Marc Pell, Mount Kimbie reintroduces guitars with amplified distortion, aiming to carve a niche reminiscent of Stereolab for a contemporary audience—an electrorock ensemble that balances familiarity with obscurity.

The Sunset Violent offers a sleeker and safer progression from its predecessor, furnishing a robust foundation of fuzzy guitar and Korgs for Balency-Béarn and Maker’s melancholic vocals to soar. The quartet conjures a sonic landscape reminiscent of Sonic Youth or Young Marble Giants, infused with wizardry from the digital audio workstation (DAW), crafting songs akin to richly detailed dreams whose interpretations linger on the periphery of consciousness.

The album’s standout tracks exude a morose charm, with Balency-Béarn’s candid vocals floating over murky lounge-pop arrangements in “Dumb Guitar” and “Shipwreck,” injecting much-needed friction into The Sunset Violent. Her wistful, unadorned voice serves as an emotional anchor, complemented by Maker’s guileless contributions, akin to the role Oliver Sims perfected in the xx. Notably, King Krule’s baritone lends vibrancy to “Boxing” and “Empty and Silent,” showcasing deft lyricism from the famed curmudgeon. Yet, there are moments when The Sunset Violent meanders in search of vitality, as evidenced in tracks like “Got Me” and the initial half of “A Figure in the Surf,” where repetitive patterns and dry melodies tether the album’s ethereal ambitions.