As previews for forthcoming albums go, “Madeline Trip” is short—very short—one minute and eleven seconds! But sometimes, that is all you need to make your point, and as a taster of what is to come, Madeline Trip does the job perfectly, even whilst being far from representative of the EP as a whole.
The EP to follow is essentially “Exercise Class” and two additional remixes, which take this upbeat and shimmering slice of synthpop through a bustling yet slightly world-weary delivery and a more radio-friendly take on the sonic proceedings.
But it is Madeline Trip, what would in an earlier age be called a b-side, which acts as the beguiling hidden gem nestled within. Compared to the beats and pace of the tracks surrounding it, this oozes rather than drives, creating a warm groove on its own terms. It is vocally silent, letting the music do all the talking. And it is hypnotic and compelling, being neither big nor particularly clever, but instead beguiling and addictive….which ironically might make it the biggest and cleverest, if the shortest, track on the ep.
