Louis the Child - Kids at Play EP

Louis the Child
Kids at Play EP
2018
Spotify

I have a friend who really loves Louis the Child. He is always playing stuff from them, slipping it into playlists with hopes it will finally breakthrough to me and the rest of his friends. To date it hasn't happened, probably like my trying to convince people the Chainsmokers were good back when "Roses" first came out. Louis the Child for what it's worth have followed a similar rise to fame as the aforementioned Chainsmokers, first diving into EDM and progressive House until eventually shifting into a Future Pop sound. This new EP in particular has rounded out some of the more aggressively EDM sounds, especially on tracks like "Breaking News" that are ready for your local iHeartRadio station today. However there are also tracks where the Chicago duo aren't afraid to go for it. "Ohhh Baby" is that trappy banger that all DJs have in their back pocket when they need to send a crowd into overdrive. The problem is none of these ideas feel particularly new or even really that unique. Female vocal plus electronic beat is the thrust of about half of the tunes while the others go into more wild experimentation. "LOVE" is fun in parts, but relies on the same formula that EDM has been using for years now. It's shocking that Elohim sings the vocal for something as basic as "LOVE". "Dear Sense" flips the script a bit with a vocal from MAX that is at least not as on the nose as the rest of the record and features a nice little stand up piano line.

The album really feels like they barely scratch the surface of their potential. There are plenty of exuberant moments, but as a whole you can't help but feel like this is the same ol same. "Space Jam" feels like another grab at some nineties nostalgia from a duo who weren't even alive at the time, but the DJing skills on the track are nice as hell. The thing you get the most about this album is that when they want to go after it, and put something real slick in your ears they can, but when they want to make a nice pop song that doesn't rock the boat they can do that as well. They reside in this middle space where they can go either way and both might be successful, but the more experimental stuff is far more compelling of a style than some run of the mill EDM. Kids at Play is not bad, but it just lacks the cutting edge you would want from this kind of debut. It will be very interesting to see where the Chicago Duo go next, but if history serves they will likely follow the money, even if it means dumbing their music down. Let's hope not.

7.0 out of 10