Album Review: EGOISM - And Go Nowhere
The band may see themselves as "just a local band from Sydney", but EGOISM’s new album proves they’ve gone far beyond their self-effacing, self-appointed title. From their humble beginnings as teenage friends in 2015, to the release of their long-awaited debut album And Go Nowhere, Sydney dream pop trio EGOISM have evolved from youthful experimentation into a fully-realised sonic identity - dreamlike, emotionally raw, and unmistakably theirs.
Scout Eastment and Olive Rush met as close friends and began writing and playing together in 2015. Originally part of a four-piece called Ego. After the other two original members left, and the remaining Scout and Olive rebranded to EGOISM, they solidified themselves as a duo. Their first single as a two-piece, 2018’s 'Sorry' introduced a more confident, cohesive sound - a dreamy mix of layered guitars, reverb-washed vocals, and aching introspection.
For a debut album, And Go Nowhere is shockingly cohesive, despite being relatively new to the game - with a sound they’ve curated over the years with sporadic single and E.P releases. You can hear it taking shape on pre-album songs such as ‘You You’ and ‘What Are We Doing?’; all they really needed was a punchier drum sound - a role that Adam Holmes filled nicely going into the album.
The opener, ‘Getting Older’ truly sets up what EGOISM are all about - a semi-viral hit that seemed to arrive in everyone’s YouTube recommendations at the same point in time - the song is a catchy plea about why things seem to get more difficult with time, complete with a bouncy base line, and a consistent drum beat that carries the listener throughout. The consistency of the rhythm section allows the guitar room to come in and out when depth is needed, and it works brilliantly with the ethereal voices of both Eastment and Rush, who it must be said, complement each other effortlessly.
That itself is EGOISM’s main strength, the complementary nature of the pair’s voices almost create a third singer when they harmonise, and you can tell the pair have been collaborating with one another for years, and from the outside looking in, you can see that they have absolute trust in one another when it comes to the music they create.
Other highlights are the seemingly Johnny Marr-influenced ‘How To Disappear’, the breakup-meets-diss track energy of ‘Melbourne’, as well as the ethereal, melancholic longing of ‘So I Heard’. Special praise goes to my personal highlight of the album, ‘Addison Road.’ It's a high-energy track that grabs you from the first chord and doesn’t let go, delivering a thrilling ride through what feels like The 1975-inspired indie pop anthem. It's quintessential listening for any fan of the genre.
There are a few weaker moments on the album. ‘Records in the Dark’ leans into trap influences, with Rush stepping away from his usual celestial delivery in favour of a more rap-oriented approach. While some listeners may enjoy this shift, his strengths lie in his typical approach and the experiment falls a little flat.‘If I Was a Girl’, though by no means a bad song, feels a little under cooked and could have benefited from a more dynamic vocal performance. We know Eastment is capable of this, as demonstrated on the Australian city-inspired tracks ‘Melbourne’ and ‘Sydney.’
However, it must be stressed that neither of these are bad songs, it’s just that the rest of the album is genuinely spectacular. They've set the bar high and they can't be blamed for not reaching to great heights all the time. EGOISM have been a band I’ve been following since first hearing ‘Getting Older’, and seeing them go from strength to strength with each release has been like watching a distant cousin grow up making good life decisions, and all you can do is watch on with immense pride.
So, whether they're exploring suburban stasis or intimacy, EGOISM’s songwriting remains unmistakably earnest - anchored by the harmonised push-pull between Eastment and Rush, and now bolstered by Holmes’ rhythmic depth. And while they may still call themselves "..just a local band from Sydney", And Go Nowhere is proof that EGOISM are carving out a space for themselves far beyond their local scene - one heartfelt dream-pop anthem at a time.
You can follow and find out more EGOISM on Facebook and Instagram.
As ever, we recommend you buy music and merch from the band's Bandcamp, preferably on Bandcamp Friday (The first Friday of every month), where Bandcamp waive their usual fee.
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