PAUL MAC
Holiday From Me
Eleven: A Music Company
Things don’t get off to a flying start on Paul Mac’s first solo LP in a decade. As a matter of fact, the first 90 seconds are a glitchy, bugged-out mess – you will never wish to hear the words ‘echo’ or ‘brain’ ever again in your life.
Thankfully, business picks up substantially beyond this minor trip-up – the famed Sydney producer has come out of exile with a batch of boisterous, bubbling and occasionally brilliant pop-flirting dance tracks. The guestlist is smartly arranged and expertly drafted – former Faker frontman Nathan Hudson plays the nervous fodder to the extroverted Brendan Maclean in the adorable back-and-forth duet FAQ, while Dappled Cities’ Tim Derricourt holds – ahem – court on the disco-friendly Anechoic. It’s also a smart move to place both collaborations from Sydney siren Ngaiire back-to-back in the middle of the tracklist – it serves as both a change of pace and a showcase of one of the city’s finest talents.
There’s no Just The Thing on Holiday From Me, but that’s actually what makes it such a strong release. It’s not interested in retreading common ground – there’s a whole new world out there to dance through.
3.5 stars
DAVID JAMES YOUNG
