Kill the One You Love

Audio Mixer: Damian Taylor.
After a move to Los Angeles, GEMS return with their debut album Kill the One You Love, a set of songs that build on the dreamy pop of the Medusa EP with a smoother, bigger sound. Lindsay Pitts and Clifford John Usher's music still evokes the sleek atmospheres of Massive Attack and the ethereal beauty of the Cocteau Twins, while also nodding to contemporaries like Phantogram and AlunaGeorge on songs such as "Savior" and "W/O U." Pitts' vocals may have even more range here than they did previously, and Kill the One You Love makes the most of them on the dramatic "Scars" and "Heartbreaker"'s beautiful harmonies. Other highlights include the former single "Living as a Ghost," which showcases their flair for dense sonics and big, hooky choruses, and the sensual closing track "White Light." ~ Heather Phares