Robbie & Mona - Tusky

The Quietus

Taken away by the alluring nature of their captivating single ‘Clapback’, experimental duo Robbie & Mona very quickly stood out to me as an exciting project to get behind this year. Having shared a string of distorted indie singles in the lead up to their new full length project, the duo are back, this time with their disturbingly excellent sophomore album Tusky.

An accumulation of nine contemporary, and slightly cryptic tracks, throughout Tusky Robbie & Mona are bringing to light their eclectic soundscape. Fluctuating between light and dark tendencies, throughout this project, Tusky so brilliantly encompass the exasperating feeling of escapism through a selection of whimsical songs. 

From the delicate elegance of introductory track ‘Sensation’ into the jazz-infused ‘Flauneral’ in just the first two tracks Robbie & Mona bring to you a taste of their new refined sound. Completely gripped by their 2022 single ‘Clapback’, fast-forward to now, once I sunk my teeth into the full project of Tusky , it was immediately clear to me that ‘Clapback’ was just one small section of brilliance, standing amongst a collection of beautifully poetic ballads. A pleasant surprise to say the least, throughout this album Robbie & Mona also incorporate hypnotic saxophone touches from collaborator Ben Vince. 

Ethereal, yet so completely real, throughout this project Robbie & Mona demand you to take a deep dive inwards. As you sink into the foundations of this album, analysing your surroundings, you quickly realise that nothing else matters. Absorbed by the eerie vocals, hard-pressed keyboard synths, and warped production, throughout Tusky the duo have crafted the perfect album to get lost in. Building from where they left off, Tusky follows their 2021 debut album EW and is the epitome of personal growth. Having matured their sound, to this extent, in just three years, it’s fair to say Robbie & Mona may have a few more tricks up their sleeves.

An album produced completely by Robbie & Mona themselves, throughout Tusky the duo call to arms the music industry as they lay their cards on the table with a faultless project from start to finish. It’s been awhile since I was this taken back by an album from an emerging outfit. It’s clear that the duo are onto something special. Creating a musical journey of beautiful sounds far more advanced than the indie scene they’re recognised in, Robbie & Mona are a breath of fresh air.

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