Eugenie Johnson reviews the latest release by the New Zealander
Partisan
Released: 25.03.16
You’ve got to give Eddie Johnston some kudos for trying something different. The New Zealander came to prominence uploading stripped-down covers of mainstream rap tracks on to his Soundcloud page and his debut album often sounds like what would happen if Drake cosied up to Bon Iver.
He mixes R&B beats with nagging folk guitars on the likes of Kick In The Head and All I Wanna Say but the curious result is often one of prevailing tedium. He’s more engaging when he doesn’t sound like an Aubrey Graham imitator, such as on the Elbow-esque Selfless or the tender, glacial I Was More Than.
There’s some fertile shoots for the future here but you may well end up forgetting much of this collection.
