An audio tag featuring what might be a television news reporter enunciating the words “Kansas City homicide” is frequently applied to Cartoon Network. It’s appropriate, as the stunning combination of vintage no-wave and au currant hyper-pop on Midwestern’s new EP knocks me dead.
The duo’s freewheeling sound fuses the convulsive anti-funk acts of the 1970s like James Chance and the Contortions with the glitchy innovations of contemporary artists including 100 Gecs, Flying Lotus and Tyler, The Creator. The dynamic prevents the band’s obvious love of vintage soul from succumbing to sentimental nostalgia.
Midwestern’s rapid evolution is astounding. Nine months ago, the group looked and sounded like this. It was something else entirely at Howdy last week. While there’s no telling what Midwestern will be come December, I anticipate another Kansas City homicide.