The 'Post-Internet' EP: by Duke Keats
Review
Barely was the ink dry on my review of Duke Keats' single "Lost in the Internet" than he dropped the remaining 75% of the 'Post-Internet' EP: namely "Walking at 4am", "Rich Girl Wants" and "Monkey Brains". Things move fast in his universe: one perpetually gets an impression of more & more music of stunningly different aspects bursting to get out of him. Maybe he will end up breaking the internet by this method of overwhelming it with his tracks.
The totality of the collection is intended as "..an audiovisual statement on existence in the digital afterglow—a world where memory, identity, and meaning are constantly in flux". Frankly do we now expect anything less from him? And it's virtually all by him too: from the sounds you hear to the artwork, though with guest vocals courtesy of George Tuson of Orphic "adding further depth to the sonic tapestry."
Of course Duke understands the diversity of his audiences & each song is fully accessible & enjoyable on its own merits if diving into conceptual profundities isn't your thing. Though I would say that if that's so, you're depriving yourself of half the enjoyment as well as failing to show him full respect for all the effort he's put in.
I don't know if Charlie Brooker is looking for soundtracks or even ideas for scripts for "Black Mirror" but if he is, giving the Duke a ring might be productive.
Duke does dystopias very nicely: if in a rather humanistic, optimistic way. For example "Walking at 4am" would in many other hands be a terrifying, paranoic track wherein the protagonist writhes in existential agonies. In his hands, the story is the same but we don't necessarily plunge down a well of despair. There are stereotypes for this narrative & Duke sidesteps them.
"Rich Girl Wants" lays a trap for the reviewer: dodging the Prince comparisons is essential for an article on Duke Keats which seeks to avoid stating the obvious: but he baits us here. In fact "seduction" sums this one up: not only trying to get us to use the "P" word but more generally it's him putting forth all his powers to create a seductive track: and finally because you realise how you've been led on when you hear what he's in fact singing about.
If Duke Keats was aiming primarily for commercial success (and he deserves it) then "Rich Girl Wants" makes a compelling case for single release. But I'm not sure he wants to compromise his art. The sheer variety of successive releases runs contrary to what a professional manager would advise him to go for in order to build a simple & consistent brand image. They'd probably tell him to ditch the high concepts too. But as all these songs are available on a "pay what you consider right" basis I think we know which side of the debate he aligns himself upon.
"Monkey Brains" neatly subverts any commercial potential of its predecessor by going full on experimental Duke Keats: just under two minutes of electronica.
Much as I respect & appreciate the more serious side of this artist, I also enjoy his sense of playfulness. No one should try & second guess the Duke: either from one EP to another or even within a single one. Mainstream audiences might need that homogeneity of sound to get their heads round artists, but this one has a savvy one who get that swerves & strange trajectories are his DNA.
I may have no idea what's coming next but I know it'll be damned good.
