Fall might be right around the corner, but Amsterdam’s Gangs of Kin are holding onto summer for as long as possible on their latest EP, Nature Knows No King.
Contrary to the name, Gangs of Kin is a one-person band made up of singer-songwriter Joël Gaerthé, making the music coming out through Gangs of Kin all the more impressive. And though he’s been dropping singles under the Gangs of Kin name since 2021, he began touring back in 2011 and has yet to stop.
Nature Knows No King continues Gaerthé’s prolific reign, this time staking his claim as an artist you can rely on for consistently releasing a unique blend of breezy indie rock and art-pop.
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The previously released single, “Mass Confusion,” offered a taste of the brighter, sunny angle Gaerthé planned on taking for the EP. And “Liquid” certainly continues that trend, sharing similarities to the single and offering that familiar, easygoing approach provided by a scattered yet groovy drum pattern. Singular in every aspect, Gaerthé’s signature raspy voice never fails to successfully contrast the pleasant piano, which softly opens up the EP.
Besides the breezy instrumentation, the one bind that ties every track together is Gaerthé’s “Cool, Calm & Collected” attitude, which ought to have confidence in its title for how self-assured he comes across in the lyrics. The song, fitting to its namesake, takes time to build up and seems to ignore the fact that it’s less than three minutes long. Similar to “Liquid” before, the bassline is what keeps the song moving and feet dancing.
The track eventually closes with a psychedelic guitar solo, promising a switch-up in the instrumental. But before anything like that could happen, it ends without a trace. And that’s the only issue regarding Nature Knows No King: the songs are too short.
To Gaerthé’s credit, he makes the most out of so little and leaves you wanting more, which might be the intention behind the EP. If that’s the case, then a full-length debut would surely reach new heights for an artist who’s almost got it all figured out.
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Words: David Sosa
Nature Knows No King by Gangs of Kin is out on all streaming services. For more on new music and live shows, follow him on Instagram and Bandcamp.
