Graeme Pogson and Ella Thompson are GL, a Melbourne based electronic duo who haven’t had a release since their 2017 double A-sided 12” Destiny/Reflect. That was until the release of “Night Habit” last week, marking the long-awaited return of GL. The single also marks their first headline show in over two years at Howler in Melbourne on Friday October, 18.
The track is rich with a dark mood, stemming from the wide range of genres at play. There is a wobbly bassline cut between 70s Funk and 90s Acid-Jazz mixed with ethereal disco synths pulled straight out of the neon lit Miama clubs of the 80s. The production on the drum machine is tight, seen in the sharp snare and booming kick that add strong sense of dance-ready kinetic rhythm to the jammy hi-hats. This fantastic musical foundation then accompanies singer Ella Thompson as she tells an electropop, lost-in-the-city tale of love and late nights. Her performance is haunting, employing a subtle hint of pain as she pushes up into the heights of her range, which only adds to the spooky timbre. This is achieved through overdubbed layers of beautiful harmonies and a tactical use of reverb and delay effects. All the parts combine to create a funky, retro sounding dance track that haunts the listener with its distinct aural aesthetic.
On "Night Habit", GL say:
"After meeting in the leafy Melbourne suburbs of Warrandyte and Eltham and playing together in a wide variety of bands, we started GL - a project built on over a decade of friendship. Since our last release in 2017, we have been locked away in the studio, jamming, writing and having a good laugh. Freshly inspired by the transformative experience of witnessing Kraftwerk live in Austria, new music had taken shape before we knew it. The single, 'Night Habit' is an invitation to move, highlighting the inseparable connection between music and motion, the inherent freedom of the night and its nocturnal powers of expression."
The single launch on October 18 will be supported by Messy Mammals, Kye and DJ Colette. The duo will also appear at Victoria's Kennedys Creek Music Festival in late-October and South Australia's Supermild Weekender in November.
Listen to “Night Habit” …