London’s Kero Kero Bonito aren’t letting a global pandemic slow them down by any means. With their new three song EP Civilisation II, the trio is proving they’re still up for trying new things when it comes to their music. For these three new songs the electro pop group recorded utilizing vintage gear and you can hear them in each well crafted track.

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The synths utilized on the opener “The Princess and the Clock” let you experience that vintage gear sound. The catchy and pop laden hooks draw you in against the soft vocals. However even with the vintage gear the band is treading new territory in terms of songwriting and sound. There’s a bit more emphasis on the vocal harmonies and the overall structure of the song. While it’s still pop, the music has more depth here. For “21/04/20” the three piece goes deeper into a synth pop sound. The keys are heavy here while the vocals are shortened to match the pacing of the track. Within the song’s stride there’s this dream-like tonal quality that rings throughout. The video game or chip tune touches add to the atmospheric sounds as well. The closing song “Well Rested” explores more new territory for the band to thrive. With an almost House based sound, the track builds on blips of chopped vocals and a heavy cluster of beats and soundscapes. The end result is an almost neo-disco sound where the vocals are mixed at the level of the music. When they break free they’re slightly above the music level and they stand out. The soft bop of the song delivers a sound where the band is evolving how they approach pop while offering up plety of snap in the process.

Civilisation II is available to purchase digitally directly from Polyvinyl Records. It’s also available to stream on all streaming sites or to purchase from wherever you download music. Kero Kero Bonito is scheduled to perform tomorrow via livestream at 11 PDT.

Image Credits: Photo by Matilda Hill Jenkins.