Having received a whirlwind of praise for their 2012 debut album In A Million Years from the likes of Triple J, as well as a top 10 spot on the ARIA charts, Brisbane’s Last Dinosaurs were swept up in their near-immediate success as they tirelessly toured across the globe for three years. Now, having ventured to New South Wales’ central coast to record their follow up, the Brisbane quartet have reemerged with their sophomore effort, Wellness.
Right from the get go, Wellness marks a slight change in gear regarding sound, forgoing catchiness and immediacy in favour of almost shoegaze-like atmosphere and electronic sampling during the spacey, ethereal opening of ‘Take Your Time’.
Acting as the driving force behind Last Dinosaurs’ sound, Sean Caskey stands tall as a confident and capable vocalist, being able to fluctuate between high and lows where appropriate, without ever sounding strained or forced. Paralleled with the static guitar tone as well as upbeat, sharp synth, means that Caskey is perfect fit for the genre, and the musical chemistry between him and his brethren is almost palpable. Despite this, Caskey can occasionally come off as slightly homogenous sounding in spots, especially when it comes to a fairly unflinching song structure for the album’s most part.
Lachlan Caskey absolutely shines with his sprightly lead guitar riffs, primarily on the likes of ‘Purist’ as well as album highlight ‘Karma’, ascending it from a spacious, atmosphere fuelled-track into a zealous movement with a dangerously infectious rhythm. It’s not all get up and go dance numbers however, with the title track leading listeners on a lethargic and reflective crawl, acting as a centre-piece to help break up the overwhelming vacuous energy brought on by endless synth and sporadic cymbal and snare hits via drummer Dan Koyoma.
There’s a subtle melancholia masked throughout Wellness‘s ten tracks, which is only further accentuated by Caskey’s downtrodden, yet pleaful voice, as he sings about his own shortcomings and sense of forlorn yearning, evident as he presumably sings about a lost love on the likes of ‘Karma’.
“I don’t want to say goodbye, because I need you in my life.”
[include_post id=”456230″] Perhaps a little on the simple side, sure, but paired with echoing walls of dance-worthy tunes makes for an interesting dichotomy that’s sure to raise an eyebrow for those paying attention. The pop sensibilities bloom a sense of carefree naivety across the dancefloor, and yet the sneaky synth on tracks like the penultimate ‘Stream’ leave the listener with a sense of weight as well.
Wellness is the kind of record that’d absolutely thrive in summer. Coming off the back of a sunny, sunday afternoon with a few mates, set to unwind before slogging through the week ahead. It’s upbeat and engaging enough to capture your interest but not too demanding a listen to make you feel punished for zoning out on occasion. Last Dinosaurs have crafted a sincere amalgamation of electro, synth pop and rock tunes that’s sure to satisfy eager fans.
Mirroring the album’s sound, Wellness seems to be a record primarily about living in the moment, not letting your guard down, but ultimately being content with what you have, and throughout all its depth and complexity, manages to strike that balance largely without fault.
Wellness is out August 28 via Dew Process / UMA
