Hanging out the window of a retired school bus, Mk.gee croons the opening lines of ‘Are You Looking Up’, plucking his instrument with a rough urgency. A live rendition that pin-drops the listener on a twisting ride down Hawk’s Nest, the enigmatic songwriter sets the scene for his debut full-length album, ‘Two Star & The Dream Police’.
Taking the space to truly hone his craft as a producer and multi-instrumentalist, the last few years have seen Michael Gordon develop his artistry, both as an individual and through collaboration. Across three EPs and countless studio sessions, the artist has defined a sound that revels in the alternative, weaving between lo-fi, indie and funk with occasional flecks of pop. Elsewhere, the New Jersey native has lent his vision to the likes of Dijon, The Kid Laroi, Omar Apollo and Charlotte Day Wilson, drawing a cult fanbase along the way. It’s therefore of no surprise that ‘Two Star & The Dream Police’ is met with a great deal of intrigue and anticipation, marking a firm, definitive step into Mk.gee’s discography.
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A project that demands to be listened to in one sitting, there is an immersive quality across the tracklist that instantly strikes through. Each track is submerged in a nocturnal wash of acoustics, playful in its use of distance, textures and melody. Take cinematic opener ‘New Low’, dropping its spotlight on Mike’s upper register whilst layering warbled notes beneath flickering, industrial interjections. Dissolving into the dreamscape of ‘How many miles’, a softer, slower facet of the album, the track is pinned down by a hook that riddles through yearning and escapism. Sonically, ‘Two Star & The Police’ is able to defy the traditional conventions of a ballad, whilst reaching into a magnetic vulnerability through Mike’s pen.
The use of contrasting elements is equally part of the project’s allure. Spotlight tracks such as ‘DNM’ carry an air of spontaneity, placing bright piano chords alongside jagged spikes of distortion, whilst the disorientating breakdown of ‘Candy’ clears the way for a nostalgia-drenched guitar solo. Setting itself apart with a slick flair, ‘Alesis’ leans into grunge and grit, offering one of Mike’s strongest vocal performances before breaking into a moment of stillness for ‘Breakthespell’.
Drawing to a close with the atmospheric hues of ‘Dream Police’, Mk.gee pieces together a transcendent debut. Perhaps diverting from the upbeat groove that identified his earlier material, the artist broadens his sound into new territories, upholding the depth and richness of his instrumentation. In 2024, Michael Gordon pulls his focus towards world-building, one that we’ll be sure to come back to time and time again.
8/10
Words: Ana Lamond
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