EDIT THE EMPIRE
HUSH HUSH BIZ SINGLE REVIEW
This City’s Electric
In This City’s Electric, the re-issued gem from Melbourne’s Edit the Empire, one discerns a band that deftly navigates the corridors of music history while maintaining a firm grasp on contemporary relevance. This track, rising anew from the band’s formative years, eschews nostalgia for a more poignant reflection of a group coming into its own. The song melds the visceral with the polished, embodying a raw, dynamic drive alongside a nuanced indie-pop acumen. Frontman Patrick Clark’s lyrics, rife with introspection and depth, intertwine seamlessly with the band’s signature potent, over-driven guitars and catchy choruses. This isn’t merely a song; it’s an emblem of Edit the Empire’s evolution from underground buzz to a band possessing a richer, more intricate musical lexicon. As the band reflects, the groundbreaking impact of their 2017 self-titled EP becomes evident. That release served as a raw precursor to their current finesse. Their 2019 collaboration with Andrew ‘Idge’ Hehir and Simon Pearlman wasn’t a pivot but a refinement, culminating in the acclaimed singles Ray of Light and the original This City’s Electric, both given their final sheen by Aaron Dobos. Facing the tumult of lockdowns, Edit the Empire chose innovation over capitulation. Their live studio session, disseminated across YouTube and streaming platforms, was more than an adaptation; it was an affirmation of their commitment to their fans and their artistic integrity. Now, in 2024, as the band sets their sights on a record deal, This City’s Electric reasserts itself, not as a vestige of the past but as a testament to their ongoing musical journey.
The track doesn’t clamour for attention; it earns it. This is not just another indie pop release; it’s a mature, contemplative piece that embodies the band’s ethos. As they’ve stated, ‘We hope to create music that is really catchy that people will love and will help uplift people in dark times as well as experiment with new sounds and genres.’ This track, and indeed Edit the Empire’s trajectory, mirrors this aspiration, marking them as not just musicians but as potential innovators in a landscape often preoccupied with the transient.
