Way back in 2010, a band called Dom from Massachusetts released their debut EP, Sun Bronzed Greek Gods. It featured this absolute game changer of an anthem called Living In America, which later featured on a 4Music advert that just seemed to come on TV every five minutes. The band released a second EP and after a collaboration with Madeline Follin of Cults on a song about arguably the best haircut imaginable, (the bowl cut) Dom announced that Dom were no longer a band but a solo project. In more recent months we saw a name change from the very Google unfriendly (also see Peace, Girls) Dom to Kiss 1o8. (with intentional O not 0) How confusing.
Anyway, with a lineup change and change of name comes a change in sound. Debut Hyperfantasy XL is still crammed with the sugar drenched dancey vibes that appeared on Dom's previous EPs. This release seems to lack Dom's distinctive vocals and lyrics about honeys going surfing, with only a few samples here and there. One of which is in the third track also titled Kiss 1o8, and it is one of those songs that was always played at your school disco. Always. But I can't quite work out exactly what song it is.
Bleach throws up some similar vibes to Family Of Love's Happy Birthday Party, wheras Turf Lords sounds like driving arcade game music. That can't be a bad thing, right? Overall the album has a fair few 90's trance moments, mixed with noughties pop, with a bit of psychedelic magic sprinkled on top. Worth a listen, however in my opinion it doesn't quite match up to Dom's previous material. To be fair that one about how sexy it is to live in America did set some pretty high standards.
