Grime Kings - Honeymooning (2014)

Grime Kings is the work of an Ottawa-based musician named Callum Runciman. Although it sounds like a full band plays these 11 songs on 'Honeymooning", his second full length, the credits specifically state that all songs and instruments are by the hand of Callum. So, he's a bit of a phenom, as you are about to hear should you be smart enough to sit with this record ASAP. Super proficient and inventive musicianship, production, and chord progressions.. especially for a guy that, from what I understand, is in his early 20s.

Perhaps youth is why these songs, which are like lo-fi progressive pop songs with a fever, are so cerebral. Fewer years obliterating brain cells with alcohol. But you know how when you get a high fever and you become dizzy and your thoughts are crooked and slightly manic? Callum Runciman must feel like that all the time. Luckily his music doesn't suffer for it.

However, at times "Honeymooning" delivers so many ideas that songs can sort of explode, leaving smears of color slowly dripping down your walls. The danger with this, is being able to reign that chaos back into something that's both cohesive and relateable. Experimentalism is best when you can still make some sense out of it - without having to be a musician yourself. Grime Kings goes to both extremes: at times engaging and at times alien. The turnover happens quickly enough, though, that you're never left waiting long before you're reminded that you're listening to some very unique and very, very fucking awesome rock music.

Grime Kings - Honeymooning