Oztix | News | This One Time, On Bandcamp: JunoKind

JunoKind — Perth, Western Australia

Emerging from the ashes of indie-soul duo Wanderlust, JunoKind represents the electronic rebirth of Jade Richards' and George Gunson's creative sympatico, bringing into the fold keyboardist Brad Green (These Winter Nights) and bassist Michael Anstee-Brook (Wise Oaks) to flesh out the pair's evocative core sound.

It's a transformation that has absolutely worked to their credit, the foursome having turned out six layered, incredibly listenable and magnificently nuanced pieces of music on their debut EP (under this moniker), The Infinity Cafe.

While Wanderlust's vox-and-guitar set-up was enticing enough in and of itself, the broadened, more developed soundscapes here — which also include electronic beats from Richards and guitar and keys from Gunson in addition to the pair's sweetly complementary co-vocals — are exceptionally easy to melt into.

Opening track Able kicks off with something of a nod to Wanderlust's more acoustic days, with piano and violin giving way to hushed synths, reverb-laced guitar and inviting warmth of Richards' voice. Once the beats and bass enter, the transformation is complete, and JunoKind take flight at their lush, lubricious best.

As busy as parts of their songs can get, the band display a real talent for understanding when to fill their bars and when to hold back, as the restrained, irresistible Necessary Space and piano-driven Embrace capably show, and the five-minute Hiding Places is another wonderful demonstration of the band's ability to blend acoustic, organic elements into their tech-lined compositions — as well as being a nice little throwback to simpler times in their previous guise — without being jarring.

Rounded out by the deep grooves of Lightning Storm and slow-burning, climactic, instrumental-till-it's-not Easy, The Infinity Cafe is a forceful and hugely enjoyable first effort for this reimagined outfit, produced and engineered by the WAMAward-nominated Andy Lawson (Eskimo Joe, Gyroscope, Tired Lion), drawing on each of the members' copious previous experience both together and apart to create this distinctive and mesmerising new sound.

It's the kind of thoughtful, intelligent, well-crafted and alluring release that does nothing but engender genuine excitement in the listener about not only its contents, but everything that's yet to come from this massive well of potential.

JunoKind launched The Infinity Cafe with a show at The Bird, but they'll be back out and about at the end of next week as guests on the bill for Teischa's gig at Mojo's, Fremantle, on Friday 30 June.

To stay on top of their upcoming movements, give them a Like on Facebook, and explore their sounds below.