This seven piece out of Sydney have given me one handy afternoon listening experience. Packed full of sweet brass and bombastic bass, Cosmic Spice’s latest single Lucid Dream had me going from the first few seconds.
With so many band members, there’s always the risk of having too many cooks spoil the broth. Cosmic Spice, however, have looked at what they have and worked it hard, crafting an explosive recipe for an eclectic and rousing sound.
Fun and funky without being overwhelming, Lucid Dream from Cosmic Spice has everything the beginnings of a ripper party needs.
Bright keys open and that brass just blares straight up, meanwhile Gabriel De Burgh’s vocals are dark and endearing, not perfect but with a tone that just oozes sex appeal. The jittering guitar and stammering percussion builds and builds, giving way to some righteous trumpet work at the chorus.
Thematically, the track tackles De Burgh’s literal struggle with dream states:
“In the weeks leading up to the creation of Lucid Dream I had experienced eight or so bouts of the aforementioned dream state, each incredibly tense and beautifully vivid.”
“The compositional features underpin and give strength to the lyrics, which ponder the notion of being so madly infatuated with someone that the distinction between reality and fantasy is blurred, leaving one to question whether it’s all truth, or just a Lucid Dream.”
Lucid Dream is a fun release for Cosmic Spice, and one which introduces their aesthetic and tone really well. It reveals their potential for wild, jazzy funk, something I can confirm all good people just can’t go past.
Cosmic Spice have managed to successfully dip their toes into a ’70s funk pool without compromising their forward thinking and unique vocal tone, plus there’s an element of irony which makes their sound even more appealing.
There are a few lulling moments, so if you were gearing yourself up for a let-it-all-out build up, you’ll just have to see what they do with this track live.
Overall Lucid Dream leaves me with the feeling that Cosmic Spice aren’t done yet. I’ve got money on a few more bangers up their sleeve.
