Artificial Go - Musical Chairs

Feel It

Cincinnati based band Artificial Go introduced themselves to the world of music in July of 2024 with the twee-but-stern sounds of their debut single "Pay Phone". The debut album Hopscotch Fever would be released a little later in September. Just eight months on, the band serve up their sophomore record Musical Chairs. At 26-minutes in length, it stands to extend on the debut by a staggering five minutes(!!), and all to its benefit. 

Building on what the band, consisting of Angie Willcutt, Cole Gilfilen and Micah Wu, were working on with Hopscotch Fever, Musical Chairs harbours that signature and somewhat satirical tongue-and-cheek playfulness, although the avenue in which it sits has been, or is at least in the process of being, musically furthered forwards. Nuances are making themselves known. 

The 26-minutes of Musical Chairs opens on "Lasso". A jittery, sub-two-minute tango to warm the soul, and the soles. 

The albums lead single "Circles" sits in second place on the tracklist. 

'Uh oh, where do I go? Chasing my tail in circles.' Round-and-round. Lost sight of goal. Feeling animalistic, without the tuned-in senses. A bit numb to the wide world. Narrow in view, but not necessarily honed-in. Alive, but not living. When the tail is finally fetched, will we know what to do with it?

Scissor-like hi-hats snip at your right ear as heavy bass tones plod along on "Yaya". Eee eee yaya-yayaaa. So tired you lose track of time. Life flickers by like a highlight reel, without any highlights. Desensitised to the life that passes by your very eyes, you can do nothing but look on and hope it falls in your favour. 

Strutting down the catwalk en route to the café. The world is yours, or it's at least what you make it. It can be your runway if that's what you require. It will serve you and your spirit, as long as it's true. Walk this way. Walk that way. Talk this way. Talk that way. Reality is pretty elastic. Change of view; change of scenery; change of inputs; change of you. 

I want what others can't see value in. I want the one that means the most to me. They can't see what I can feel. If that's a red convertible, then so be it. The road has been pathed, you might as well walk it. 

As aforementioned, a newfound exploration into more expansive territory becomes apparent fairly early on in the project. A different set of sonic flavours are sprinkled about. Not too far out, but out nonetheless. The relative simplicity of Hopscotch Fever isn't lost. Simplicity is always a more than solid foundation to add to. Adding to the baseline is as the stripping back of the complex - two sides of the same coin. 

"Tight Rope Walker" and it's 'let's make fiyaaaaah' refrain brings with it the sweetest moment on Musical Chairs. The ghostly gorgeousness of the effects used cement the ethereal dichotomy of the scathing lyrics. 'To gaze upon stolen freedom. Dogs on chains. Plants behind the window. Kittens in boxes.'

Later, the mention of humans being caught in traffic becomes a contrasting element to the circus - humans don't like it when they're the main character in the circus' story. After all, 'ego is the real circus.'

"Late to the Party" permeates a Nile Rodgers feel when the guitars get in the swing of themselves. 

'All I see is cement; all I see is aluminium; all I see is broken glass; all I see is plastic; all I see is pesticides; all I see is tile; all I see is blocking my view.' 

Let's dance to the man-made mundanities of life. The things in the way of real experience. Tools to make it easier, but not necessarily better. 

Musical Chair's closing track "Sky Burial" is the most experimental and 'progressive' that Artificial Go have found themselves so far. A more spacious though still undoubtably groove-locked essence is rode upon and out on. The Krautrock-y wave that it rides on reverberates your teeth. It has an air of late New York City about it. Dingy, dirty. Sweaty bodies move-and-groove in some late night - more than likely early morning - club, or kitchen. Manhole covers hiss as steam brews up into the world above. It's heating up out here. Street lights leave streaks in your vision as your head spins round-and-round. 

Artificial Go set about expanding on their somewhat innocent sound. The Cincinnati three-piece are solidifying their reputation as quirky, left-of-centre creatives.