Album Review: Royel Otis, PRATTS & PAIN

With four million monthly listeners on Spotify alone, Royel Otis had already established themselves as a formidable new indie force long before the release of their debut album – thanks to a string of well-received EPs and a strong social media following, as well as a viral cover of ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ for triple j. With their sharpened approach on PRATTS & PAIN, however, the Australian duo's are primed and ready for a major mainstream breakthrough.

Teaming up with Fontaines D.C. producer Dan Carey, they’ve confidently embraced their generation’s natural penchant for nostalgia, to bridge the gap between breezy ‘00s/’10s indie, and the innovative alternative rock sounds that Carey has played a crucial role in bringing to the masses.

There’s an unapologetic playfulness at the heart of the record – aside from the intriguingly sinister spaces explored on ‘Molly’ – while rich, punchy production lends to the inherently social and psychedelically sun-drenched nature of the music. Although it’s not quite as groundbreaking as some of Royel Otis's obvious, era-spanning influences, the energy and the talent is here, leaving plenty of room for further reinvention and growth on future projects.

7/10