Originally posted on Noise Cannon: http://noisecannon.com/2015/05/02/young-kato-dont-wait-til-tomorrow/
They proved that they can bring a party to a live audience but how do Young Kato fare on the album front? Don’t Wait ‘Til Tomorrow is the band’s debut full-length and with support from BBC Radio 1 and XFM they hold a lot of promise for which this album has to deliver.
The overall dynamic of Don’t Wait ‘Til Tomorrow presents it as a party album, laden with erratic beats and melodies, and heavy focus on the synthesiser. While there’s a lot going on in opening track ‘Sunshine’, it’s not too much to take, instead it instigates energy, immediately setting the tone of the songs to come. Particularly memorable and catchy is ‘Drink, Dance, Play’ – if the previous track didn’t get you on your feet this one will, and you’ll be chanting “We drink, and we dance, and we dance, and we play” over and over. It’s energetic but concise, relying on a handful of strengths rather than churning everything they’ve got all at once.
There are slight variations among the tracks but it might take a few heavy listening sessions to fully appreciate them, nevertheless it’s a bloody fun album. ‘Children of the Stars’, to be released alongside the album, is probably the most notably different, having been inspired by Australian electro pop. It might just be the connotation of Australia with sunny weather but it certainly expresses a bright summer energy and reflects the album’s tone with lyrics “no, no, no, life’s not long enough, live fast, die young, don’t give a fuck”.
Some elements of the album fully embrace pop along with the indie, but there are also moments within this that build more of a brooding atmosphere, particularly in ‘Lights’. Still, even in the mellow harmonies there’s an upbeat melody buzzing around and maintaining that party feel, keeping us stimulated toward the album’s midpoint. An intensified focus on guitar carries a different tone that was heard earlier on in ‘Remedy’, in which the sudden focus on guitar at the end leaves you hitting repeat to experience it once again in all its glory.
On this album Young Kato have fun, drench us in good feelings and pour their heart out (especially in ‘Yes’, seriously, it’s dead romantic). It might not be a sit-down-and-listen album but if you’re not moving to this then you’re doing it wrong. Don’t Wait ‘Til Tomorrow is a perfect companion to any party, big or small, even those private dance sessions in the bedroom you don’t tell anyone about.
SAMANTHA MAE 