Last Dinsoaurs: The Aussie trio are back to their traditional setup with 'RYU'.
Words by: Connor Fludgate
'Ryu' comes as the first multi-track release from the band as a whole since album three, Yumeno Garden, in 2018. Between their third album and the Coronavirus pandemic, the band had given their fans two singles; Flying and FMU. However, with the backlash of the pandemic and the uncertainty of the lockdowns, followed From Mexico with Love, it transpired from the climate of the Australian lockdowns.
Lachlan Caskey (lead guitarist and brother of frontman Sean Caskey) happened to become stranded in Mexico whilst working with numerous artists on several projects. Separated from the rest, Lachlan took to producing on his own, and what came from it was a Lachlan fronted Last Dinosaurs for 10 volumes. The album saw the band go in a slightly diverted direction of their traditional sound for a whole album cycle, until came RYU.
Only consisting of 7 tracks, RYU is the bands latest instalment, in the format of an EP. Stylised as a futuristic transmutation from 3023 in a world where AI has taken over, RYU comes as a storyline, a first for the band. Delving into Indie rock, Bedroom pop, City pop and Ambience, this Ep has it covered.
Teasing the release, Last Dinosaurs dropped Afterlife as the first single and teaser of the EP, following it closely with a listening party show. Instantly being a clear standout from the pack; highly energetic resonating their signature sound. This piece grips you with the heavy guitars with the thick use of delay and distortion.
Second to Afterlife, Walking On Ice was the final single to be preview to this EP. Exemplary of a shorter song in comparison to some, but still within the comfort zone of their sound. Additionally, taking another direction came with Elton. The opener and a very clean cut City-popesque take on this EP. Protruding bass tones and lack of any prominent guitar riffs set a relaxed tone of whats to come.
Slow; an honest self fulfilling prophecy. Laidback and groovier with dreamy guitars that paints the scene of sitting in a window, reading on an autumn rainy afternoon, idolising "this eccentric paradise". As the number breaks down a beautifully grainy solo riff floats over the tune.
Yin and Yang states itself as the shortest of the collection, emerging with television flicking before static white noise, then snapping back into the song with clear signal, a choppy track with the mix having removed the middle from the equalisation, sounding like the band have maxed out. Although there is something very calming about the whistling that glimmers through
Not From Here finalises the Ep as an instrumental with glimmering elements of ambience. Also reminisces to that of Satellites from In a Million Years. Use of samples of children playing and speech through a radio are panned in the right audio track and the left respectively. The number comes to an end with a gradual fade, and becoming a perfect execution to close this EP.
For only being a year since the release of From Mexico With Love, Last Dinosaurs really pulled out all the stops with this banger-less compendium. Eager to see where the band go in their future to back this one up, it is sure that fans will be more than ecstatic to add this to playlist rotations until then.
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