Single Review: Our Kind

Here we have the second single from Kiwi/Aussie duo Bird Machine, and if the debut is anything like this then I can see I need to check it out. Jenna and Luke Grbin come from different musical backgrounds, one from alternative and the other from pop, and here they combine those influences to meet somewhere in the middle. The underlying musical accompaniment is a strummed acoustic, but there is also a driving percussive element from the drums, a xylophone adding both chords and individual nuances, a highly melodic bass and then an electric guitar which comes in and out of the melody.

At the forefront of everything are Jenna’s wonderful vocals, with Luke harmonising at times and leaving her solo at others. The arrangement is what really makes this song, as the electric guitar has just the right amount of tone, the drums rarely keep to a standard beat and instead adds rolls and loads of additional rhythms, while the xylophone takes the music in a quite different and earthy direction. All this complexity allows for Jenna to sing clear and freely with a style which is clear and perfectly suited for this style of folk, with more than a hint of emotion and power within. Aotearoa are very fortunate indeed with a large number of incredible female/male duos working in the folk scene, and I only hope these guys come up to Auckland soon as this is a wonderful number packed with hooks which invites the listener closely in. Great stuff.