Ducks! – the Berlin-based Australian duo comprised of Lani and Craig – have unleashed their fourth album, ‘Yes You Can’t,’ and it’s a kaleidoscopic journey into psychedelic pop. Crafted over four years of studio sessions and explorations, this 12-track album is a reflection of eclectic influences and their adopted home city, from pulsating house beats to hidden corners of disco and acid.
The wide-ranging soundscape of ‘Yes You Can’t’ mirrors the duo’s diverse musical tastes, drawing inspiration from many different artists across genres. Ducks! forgoes traditional sampling, opting to record their own breaks, choirs, and horn sections, transforming the results into found sonic treasures. Their approach to lyrics is equally innovative, scavenging memoirs, political philosophy, and music journalism to construct songs that explore the complexities of identity and self-perception.
The album kicks off with the avant-funk gem ‘A Proposition,’ a cheeky exploration of art and self-image. Singles ‘Shiver‘ and ‘Blame‘ (featuring Christa Belle) follow, intertwining multiple themes of play-acting and denial. Also, ‘Mesmerised‘ is a burst of twitchy electronica, marries a captivating melody with a thematic desire to dissolve. I could just go on-and-on-and-on about how great this 12-track record is…
Your getting Ducks! at their best with this record, showcasing a narrative that revolves around the squandered second chance, a recurring motif throughout the entirety of ‘Yes You Can’t’ and its nearly 1 hour runtime. This is not just an album, it’s a psychological exploration through sound that Ducks! has created, doubling as a sonic masterpiece that transcends conventional genre boundaries, offering an immersive experience that challenges preconceptions and celebrates the complexity of the human experience.
