Around a month ago, ILL PEACH announced their return to music in death-defying fashion. GUM was distorted pop brilliance that broke free of the usual clean cut pop facade and instead focused on a grittier soundscape with expressive melodies and a 90’s grunge edge, making their angsty pop comeback one of the highlights of the music calendar. Having already written for Pharrell Williams, Weezer, Saint JHN. Big Freeda, Icona Pop and SZA, it comes as no surprise that this talented duo, Jess Corazza and Pat Morrissey, have the skills to create sonic landscape that take the world by storm and, with the determination they have, they could easily join these icons of our time. Want proof? Well let’s dive into their debut EP EXCUSE US WHILE WE FIND OUR MINDS to see their wide range of talents on display.

GUM kicks off proceedings, offering that same aura as it did before whilst radiating a confident star quality that I’ve come to know from their coarse pop sound, easily showcasing why they’re back in the limelight. I mean why would you keep tracks like this to yourself?

We dive into WILDFIRE next which surges into action with a pulsating bass-line that belongs in an underground club as it propels the piece forward and gets your legs moving on the dancefloor with ease. Then you’ve got the unorthodox production moments with screeching electronics, lo-fi beats with a static tinge and reverberating guitars, all filling the piece with a erratic charm that’s hard to ignore. Then the rough vocals come into play and their personality is the cherry on top here, definitely an indie dance anthem people will be humming consistently.

Whilst all their previous tracks have been high energy anthems from a production stand point, NEED YOU NOW goes for a more minimalistic soundscape. Beginning with only her voice, echoing back to us through a wave of electronic harmonies, that are reminiscent of Aurora in Running With the Wolves, crafting an quietly toned intimate soundscape in the process. That is until the finale, in one crashing moment an eruption of electronics scream back at us, making the emotional climax something you’d hear at the end of a tearjerking movie where our hero makes their valiant sacrifce.

We end on a high with UP UP AND AWAY being everything we loved about GUM and then some. Raw, passionate, grungy and coarse pop that is filled with charisma as well as an untouchable vocal that cements this duo as a talent to keep a ridiculously close eye on. Seriously, this EP is only an introduction to their talents and we can only see them going up from here.