Review: Garek – 'Take The King Vol. 1'

GAREK
'Take The King Vol. 1'
SELF-RELEASED

You may have seen the videos for the incendiary slices of pop-industrial that Garek has released prior to his début EP in the form of 'Cavity', 'Save The Queen' and his cover of Katy Perry's 'E.T'. If you haven't had the pleasure yet then you've been missing out. Garek presents a satisfying blend of electro mixed with industrial rock and given a radio-friendly pop veneer that recalls the classic years of Marilyn Manson, Orgy, Nine Inch Nails, and recent acts such as Aesthetic Perfection. Throw in a glamorous presentation and a genuinely artistic idiom and you have a winning formula.

The début EP, 'Take The King Vol. 1', collects the first single 'Save The Queen' alongside the cover of 'E.T', 'Cavity', and 'My Animal'. It is a short, sharp but precise introduction to the New York based artist and one that promises a very bright future to come. Hard dance beats, soaring choruses, memorable melodies and big sing-a-long moments mark this not only as a great selection of dance-friendly tracks but ones that will undoubtedly impress when performed live.

The production is absolutely top-notch and can't really be faulted. It has a grinding industrial rock underbelly, but the electro-pop influences and Garek's radio-friendly vocals cut through the mix to create an accessible and unashamedly pop-orientated sound.

The EP is brief clocking in a t just over twelve minutes in length and refreshingly doesn’t include any tacked-on remixes, instead keeping to the short but complete statement of the four tracks. But despite it's length it hits its mark with ease. Garek has a great sound that won't fail to inspire a big following and perhaps even some cross-over success down the line. Hopefully there will be a full-length effort on the horizon with which Garek can capitalise on the interest generated by this EP.  

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