You've been framed! Eh? Eh?

Record label Smalltown America have had some amazing new released this year, from Alan Mx’s Warpsichord to La Faro’s self-titled album, and yet somehow they have never had a group quite like Skibunny. Skibunny are Belfast’s answer to the electro/alternative market and are hoping to reinvent the pop wheel with their unique blend of experimentation and sheer determination. Duo Tanya Mellotte and Mark Gordon’s new album Hugs is available now, and on the record, they show themselves to have more charm than Daft Punk have circuitry.

Hugs opens with the hilariously titled Aah Ooh which is an odd choice of opener. The track is a slow-burner which isn’t exactly the warm hug or invitation to the record we hope for. Rather with this track we receive an indifferent nod and we must make ourselves comfortable for the ride. Aah Ooh is pleasant background noise which requires nothing but the act of living. Up Down opens with a nightmarish distorted howling and breaks into a catchy and relentlessly charming beat. It is a track which seems to have fallen directly out of the 80’s, and for some reason it works.
 

Skibunny have a unique gift for taking things which shouldn’t mix and somehow make it work. Remote Control fuses irritatingly jaunty opening music with haunting vocals. Only Skibunny could turn a track called Remote Control into a gorgeous love song. Stand Up is a slightly Metric-esque sound, whilst Moving sounds like Daft Punk in need of anti-depressants.

Somewhat ironically, the most wonderfully enjoyable tracks on Hugs come from the groups collaborations with other artists. All in This Together features Kaori Tshudhidi of the group The Go! Team and is an interesting blend of styles. Quirky and odd lyrics mesh with charming melody to produce a cutesy side of the group which I didn’t know existed. Remember Me features James Chapman of Maps fame. The track is heavily influenced by country sounds which seems a major departure from the norm from Skibunny, but it works. Remember Me is the biggest surprise on the record and is a track which is both profoundly beautiful and perfectly executed.
 

The record is unfortunately not all high-points , middle-track Miles Iz Dead is the weakest track on the record as it appears entirely out of sync with the rest of the tracks. The track is heavily reliant on heavily clichéd lyrics such as “Got my hands into your pants” which cheapens what they have done previously and makes us anxious for what is to come, it is a poor choice for an interlude.

Hugs is an experiment in styles for Skibunny. Whilst some tracks are innovative and gorgeous, the record severely lacks momentum towards the end. The group show on this record that they are masters of different sounds as they move effortlessly through genres. Hugs is not a revolutionary record but it is certainly fun and enjoyable. It is not unforgettable and yet it reveals something new on each listen.

Ciara O’Brien