Gigamesh - Time Travel, Vol. 1

Gigamesh
Time Travel, Vol. 1 EP
2016
Spotify

It is really hard to believe that Time Travel both Volume 1 and Volume 2 will be Gigamesh's debut album since He has been around for what seems like forever. But that is the case and Time Travel, Vol. 1 is the first look we get into what kind of dance extravaganza Gigamesh has been hiding from us. The opener is "My Future Is Your Future" and has a very distinct Daft Punk vibe and borrows from Nu-Disco, French House and other electronic elements to bring this easy light dance track that would fit in just as well as at a backyard barbecue as it would at a late night dance club. That has always been a real gift Gigamesh has, to be able to make music that is still critically good, but make it able to connect with damn near everyone. "Slow Love" features singer Caroline Smith and has an almost straight up disco sound, but the vibe is damn near perfect for a throwback dance track. "I'd Do It Again" however takes a different direction. This track ends up being more a take on early 90s R&B but with an electronic makeover. You can imagine the hammer pants and matching outfits that would populate a music video for this track, but it never falls fully into the nostalgia category. The song is inspired by that moment in time rather than straight up taking from it. The track also borrows from House music but the results are so organic and so good feeling that you just want the song to keep going and going.

History is the weakest track on the record. It has this almost EDM sound and drop progression but with a very light touch. The best thing about EDM is that it is bombastic and doesn't give a shit what it looks or sounds like, but this track is very self aware and that makes it sound off. There is also the fact that the song is really out of Damon Scott's range and He doesn't key down to compensate. Instead we hear Damon really struggle to get these lyrics out throughout the song. The closer "So Long" sort of struggle to find it's footing and this album being released in two parts makes sense because this feels much more like a track five than it does a closer. It is a very refined song, but you find it living more in the background while the rest of the album steps to center stage. While this may only technically be an EP, or an album with a long period of not listening in between, but it shows that Gigamesh is much more than just a remixer and can slam Nu-Disco with the best of them.

7.9 out of 10