★★★☆
Perhaps it’s with a touch of irony that Gordi dubbed her debut EPClever Disguise, for under all the electronic embellishment, shrouds of delay and vintage layering of these six tracks peeps an achingly authentic sound.
It’s also a familiar sound. Homegrown electro-folk musician Sophie Payten was the most played triple j Unearthed artist last year and many of the 22-year-old’s singles make a welcome reappearance on Clever Disguise. You’ll hear the burbling electronics and raw acoustic tug of ‘Nothing’s As It Seems’, the spirited stomp-clap of ‘Can We Work It Out’ and the echoing slippery melodies of ‘Taken Blame’.
These tracks carve out a space for Gordi somewhere between the nimble acoustic work of Josh Pyke, the wintry ambiance ofÁsgeir andthe playful vocal distortion of Imogen Heap – a combination both expansive and intimate.
Yet Gordi’s voice is distinctly her own. Whether she’s backed by stark chords in the piano rendition of ‘Can We Work It Out’ or filtered through a vocoder in ‘So Here We Are’, her vocals are somewhat earthy, somewhat ethereal and wholly captivating.
They provide a literal and figurative heart to this small but promising collection.
Gordi’sClever Disguise is oiut now through Liberation.
