Another debut, Sego’s Once Was Lost Now Just
Hanging Around is a brilliant record about the nature of 21st century
life. The LA-based duo arrive fully
formed: they have a range of tools, all of which they’re in total command of,
and they gleefully and expertly employ every one of them to form an
exhilarating, cohesive whole. 90s indie,
hip-hop beats, early-Bloc Party
style dance rock, soaring choruses, moody trip-hop, spoken word (at times
highly, and weirdly, distorted), synthetic beeps and a dab of Two Door Cinema Club’s early twinkle –
it’s all here. The range of musical
influences on show is amazing, and yet this never feels disjointed. Once
Was Lost Now Just Hanging Around is truly its own thing: a seamless
blend. Every aspect of this is
adventurous, but it’s also focused and, crucially, all about fun.
I can’t believe that – in the final analysis – this only came 5th
(there were ultimately 4 2016 albums I enjoyed more, I guess: that’s how it
works). Outstanding stuff, and the first
must have album on this list.
sample track: 20 Years Tall