Duke Keats are clearly not afraid to experiment with their music, making unique riveting melodies in the process.
Despite every song on Steal From The Rich, Give To The Poor fitting into genres such as Electronica, Lo-Fi and Techno, it’s no secret that this EP is an eclectic project which explores a different sound on each track.
The opening track Magik Mushroom puts the main focus on the complex instrumental, with a few whispering vocals here and there. Together this creates a unique, alluring sound that I would label as something in between trance music and dance music. The following track is Step By Step, where we are met with a soothing voice that perfectly reflects the drum-based instrumental, not to mention the intriguing backing vocals that sound even more dark and mysterious when listened to with headphones.
Dangerous displays a more psychedelic side of the EP through a mesmerising mix of vocal effects and hooking melodies. We now begin to see a theme of dreams, noticing the lyrics ‘You take me out my dream’ echo the lyrics ‘I’ve been dreaming, can’t let go of dreams’ from Magik Mushroom, embedding semantic fields of sleep and perplexity. The whole song has a motorik feel, similar to likes of EDM sensations Kraftwerk.
A little later Duke Keats presents us with a truly complex piece entitled East General. The song is purely instrumental, consisting of thrilling sounds and unforgettable beats – the robotic intro being enough to keep you captivated.
The next track Round And Round has to be my favourite of Steal From The Rich, Give To The Poor, simply for it’s tranquillising yet somewhat melancholy atmosphere and the peculiar choice of words ‘I wish I was made of stone’. The song flows nicely into the final track Restart, which consists of entrancing lyrical loops and hazy harmonies to create a perfect conclusion, combining various sounds of the EP into one.
You can listen to Magik Mushroom here: