their debut album is the first good thing to come out of 2020…

There is something weirdly intoxicating about Penelope Two-Five's music, and you might feel a bit woozy after listening to them. Their aesthetic is dense and hazy, and sounds like they are performing inside an early morning CBD fog cloud. As we oh-so-eloquently observed last year: Their tracks are shit-hot.

Since our last feature they have come a long way, and on Alkali, their freshly minted debut album, they are the owners of a sound more serious and hazy than before (album link is at the end of article). Throughout the beats are dipped in the halcyon days of warehouse rave and even early to mid-00's progressive house. The vocals throughout feel casual and playful, like someone confidently blowing off sexual advances because they know they are attractive.

The 11-track release is anchored throughout in darker techno, yet features enough atmosphere to warrant a spin whenever. The opening track 'Exchange Of' is the business, its epic intro, automated hardware and satin-like synths a reminder of Jon Hopkins at his best. Detroit House’s fingerprints are all over 'Samuel', while the dirty and dank groove of 'Concave' recalls the dusty house Deep Dish used to play when they rocked up at all-night-long gigs with six packed cases of vinyl.

But the duo doesn't just dabble in 4/4; in fact, broken beats are the significant force on the LP. There are some smooth vibes in the post-dubstep gallop of 'Transfixed'. On the other hand, 'Voice Mail' is a serious mind-melter, its jungle-inspired acid breaks elevated by a thick blanket of reverb punctured with throbbing bass. You will even find liquid drum n bass on 'Two Way Mirror', the bright strings reminiscent of sunrise sets played at illegal raves. It's all really good - and if there is a silver lining to 2020, this debut album might just be it.

We asked the Brisbane duo to run us through their inspirations, and they didn't disappoint. And after reading this, we hope we can inspire you to go out and support Penelope Two-Five…

A track that made us want to be performers:

Cam:
I’ve been performing for nearly as long as I can remember so that’s a bit hard to answer haha but ‘So Far Away’ by Lazerhawk definitely opened my eyes to a whole new world of music and performance.

Shan:
’Seeing Jagwar Ma play 'The Throw' live. I still love Jagwar Ma. There were many artists and tracks I loved well before them but their live performance just motivated me more than anything else.’