ALBUM REVIEW: Gotye - Making Mirrors

(Eleven, 2011)

Review by Sean Sebastian
                                             
8.5/10
Those with even the slightest inclination for Australian music will have no doubt heard Wally De Backer, a.k.a., Gotye’s, latest single, Somebody That I Used To Know. Generally an artist confined to the playlists at alternative radio station, Triple J, Gotye’s track has blown up quite dramatically, holding the number 1 spot on the ARIA charts and even a chart position of number 2 in the Netherlands. 

It is on this wave of excitement and euphoric singing-along that Making Mirrors has been released. Gotye’s third studio album and biggest by far, this record is direct, intimate and sees De Backer take a musical direction he hasn’t before. “So I guess I feel a bit analogous to what these songs become to me - you know little ways for me to explore my record collection, explore the world of sound that I'm fascinated by,” said De Backer in an interview with ABC, “and also sometimes get a different perspective on memories and emotions I've been mulling over that they find voice in these songs”. 

This focus is quite prevalent on your first listen through Making Mirrors. When placing it in the context of its predecessors (2003’s Boardface and 2006’s Like Drawing Blood), the tracks are by and large more conventional alternative fanfare. And that’s not a bad thing, at all. Traversing the dreamy landscape of tracks like the titular Making Mirrors or Giving Me a Chance is an absolute joy; whether its De Backer’s sweet, understated vocals, or the moving, rhythmic instrumentation, the album feels more tangible and immediate. Then there are the more energetic and light-hearted I Feel Better, a big-band, Motown style ditty and In Your Light, a cheery little pop tune; tracks that provide an infallible balance to the more experimental aspects of Making Mirrors. 

Though the album is easy and incredibly lovable, the process of recording it was far from so. “I probably had some of my lowest points ever,” said De Backer in an interview with Australian entertainment website, Everguide, “where I was just sitting there going, ‘I hate this music. This is fucking shithouse.’” 

However, De Backer pushed through and has created an album that truly lets the listener feel and partake in the immense love he has for music. Furthermore, it pushes the boundaries not just of his sound but of Australia’s music palate in general.