Where do you even begin with an act like Jockstrap? The London duo of Georgia Ellery and Taylor Skye have been enchanting and confounding listeners in equal measure for the past few years, with a string of EP releases that have seen them effortlessly career through influences of musical theatre, bubblegum bass and abstract hip-hop, often within a few short breaths. It all seems a bit much on paper, and that’s probably because it is – Jockstrap have every intention of providing a sensory overload with their compositions, and revel in provoking extreme reactions of either euphoria or repulsion in their listeners.
On ‘50/50’, the group’s first new track since 2020’s double whammy of EPs ‘Wicked City’ and ‘Beavercore’, we’re treated to a typically hyperactive exercise in electronic experimentation. The track sees Skye dipping his toes into a multitude of club-ready genres, giving the listener the feeling of wandering through the many rooms of a venue. The seamless gliding between styles is matched blow for blow by the vocals of Ellery, who in one moment can be providing weightless and angelic melody lines, before moving to chanting and hollering vowel sounds to be chopped up and used as an extra instrument.
‘50/50’ is a dizzying foray into yet more new stylistic territories for Jockstrap, and while there have frequently been signs that this was an area the duo could venture into, this feels like the start of them settling into a style they’re willing to fully embrace. That being said, with Jockstrap being Jockstrap, they could simply be adding another string to their bow, and looking for new heights to conquer. Put simply, they could reasonably try anything at this point and accomplish it better than seasoned professionals. Keep on confounding, Jockstrap – it’s what you do best.
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