EP Review: Great Good Fine Ok – Body Diamond
2 min read
After generating a grass roots fan base in their native US, following sold out shows at SXSW, a huge online presence, limitless praise from the music blogosphere and a freshly signed deal with Sony, electro-pop duo Great Good Fine Ok look set to continue to build momentum and satiate (or further foster) an intensifying curiosity, with their debut EP Body Diamond. The synergistic talent of Jon Sandler and Luke Moellam is manifest in wistful soundscapes and irresistible hooks, which are seamlessly executed in Body Diamond.
The EP opens with the Brooklyn pair’s initial breakout track You’re The One For Me, which scored the #1 spot on Hype Machine within a month of its online release. The track unfolds dreamily, with glimmering synths and Sandler’s striking falsetto soon joined by an infectious, driving beat. The constant layering culminates in a buoyant chorus that completes the track’s musical tapestry, that is at once languid, charming and frenetic, epitomised by its opening line: “Hit ‘em with a little bit of crazy, hit ‘em with a little bit of love”.
You’re The One For Me sets the perfect foundation for the resonant electro-anthems that follow. Not Going Home plays on the contrast between playful rhythms and glittering 80s pop, and the breathy vulnerability of its vocals, creating a seriously catchy track that could be described as dance music with ceaseless charm. The foot tapping grooves of By My Side delivers funky Michael Jackson-inspired melodies, exuberant horn backing, and quirky ups and downs, to create an assertive RnB-disco track.
Say It All is an understated close to the EP. Less of an emphatic appeal to leave your seats, and more of an atmospheric electro-hymnal dipped in starry-eyed melancholy, Say It All might not be Great Good Fine Ok’s catchiest track, but it’s definitely their most affecting. Great Good Fine Ok’s debut effort is flawlessly crafted electronic music that navigates a distinct sound with an unexpected diversity and intrigue that will surely carry over to their first full-length release.
