Mallbangs is a glorious amalgam of talent. Josh Smith, who calls himself the “sole proprietor” of this “cabal of Atlanta musicians” has brought names like Benjamin Momola and Daniel Gleason from Grouplove, Marshall Vore from Phoebe Bridgers, and Grace Repasky from Lunar Vacation into this uniquely ethereal sound.
Their latest single, “Takebacks”, mingles that experimentation they’ve already become known for. The tizzy of timbres swirling from section to section highlights everyone’s strengths while exploring the tension between intimacy and bombast.
With gentle vocals and almost ASMR moments, the initial introspection of modern underdog heroes like Alex G and Emily Yacina slowly switches to anthemic call-to-action moments. The bursts of bright energy and descant-like synth overlays build into assertive statements.
The hazy, lo-fi sound ties all the contradictions together, unifying the sound from foley-esque record player start to indietronica harmonies to quiet acoustic guitar fading to silence. The anthemic moments subtly embedded across the piece surprise without pulling you out of the song.
“Takebacks” is a solid closing track for Mallbangs’ 6-track debut EP, Put Me Out, which arrived earlier this month.
Stream “Takebacks” below.
Ben is an advertising Madman who spends his days with words and music. When he’s not writing for his supper, he’s eating it at some of NYC’s most interesting restaurants.
