★★★⯪☆
Brothers Tom and Ed Russell jumped on the electronic dance music scene back in 2015 as Overmono, and now, after the release of their 2023 debut album ‘Good Lies’, they’re back with their newest project ‘Pure Devotion’. From underground club sets to Glastonbury slots, the duo has worked on maintaining their ability to craft dance music that stands out in the electronic music space.
‘Pure Devotion’ is a record that has successfully demonstrated that the brothers can bring the electricity of their live sets into a studio and capture the exact energy that they bring to raves, DJ sets and shows, without completely trying to recreate it. They don’t; it’s not the same as their previous album, and that’s what makes this album interesting. It feels authentic, especially with tracks such as ‘Knight In Shining Prada’, which features John Joseph Holt. It has a sound to it comparable to that of The Streets, and with the monotone, talking effect in contrast to vocals, it emphasises the idea that their music is meant to mean more than songs you just sing along to.
Following their previous album, Overmono have doubled down on the musical energy that made them so popular to begin with: bold baselines, jungle breaks and parts of the music specifically made for a crowd full of hands in the air. ‘Pure Devotion’ differs from this, with a feeling as though they are pulling away from the original effect their music had. The new album shows they’re less concerned with the beat drop and more focused on what happens before it.
At first, it’s almost as though listeners are waiting for something that isn’t going to come on each track, with ‘Slowmotion’ being a perfect example of this. It takes a while for the song to change tempo, but then builds up into a tone change. After a few listens, it becomes one of the album's greatest strengths. It’s not like their previous work on ‘Good Lies’ where it sounds eager to feel euphoric. It’s moodier and considerably more chilled out.
In comparison to that, however, ‘Laxbrook’ differentiates itself and sounds similar to previous records by the duo. It proves that they still know how to make the upbeat, emotional music they became known for, but still make it stand well alongside the new route of sound they’re going down.
The album as a whole doesn’t come across as Overmono are overly concerned with sounding cool. This project shows that the brothers understand that rave music isn’t just about the heavy beat drops, but it can be raw, emotional, and euphoric at the same time. The slower tempo and emotional element of this record is what makes it feel the most honest. It feels like the aftermath of a night out, sweaty and disoriented. They have already proved they know how to make music to fill a room, but ‘Pure Devotion’ is what it feels like when the room empties.
To be clear, it isn’t perfect. But the music itself proves that it doesn’t need to be. It doesn’t just embrace the electronic dance scene and euphoria; it takes in the weird, messy spaces in between that some artists haven’t managed to hit just right. Overmono, however, have done just that.
Neve Pomfrey
Image: ‘Pure Devotion’ Official Album Cover