Album Review: Mitzi - Truly Alive

Mitzi's debut album, Truly Alive, is a light, neat piece of electro pop; it manages to fuse both the otherworldly, eclectic nature of electronica with the wholesome, bright, sunshiny lyricism of pop music.

The opening track, Who Will Love You Now, is gentle, with delicate pop stylings and a kind of faultless, slick cadence. The ethereal echo and clean, clear vocals demonstrate the line this band is currently walking – drawing from the warmth of lo-fi, analogue sounds as well as the digital clarity of electro.

The title tune collages a collection of classic electro sounds, from a slick, synthesised beat to a monotone, cyclic vocal section. These elements are coupled with more experimental sounds – the heavenly, harmonised chorus, the very real-sounding percussion section – to create a track that contrasts two very different kinds of sounds and, somehow, makes this contrast compelling.

Modern Life is gorgeous and upbeat, accented with lo-fi, vintage organ sounds and a neat keyboard line through the bridge. The track's soundscape is dominated by a bright, loud tambourine sound, making the whole song sound even more eclectic.

The End, the album's closer, opens slightly more poignantly and soberly than its predecessors. With an elegant piano line, full of depth and texture, accompanied by a simple, clapping drum beat, the track provides a kind of catharsis to the album, while still maintaining the carefully collaged mix of electronica and pop.

Mitzi's debut album is impressive – it toys with the kinds of sounds, themes and ideas that Mitzi have worked with in the past, fusing light, carefree pop elements with skilful electronic arrangements. It will be interesting to see where this album takes the Brisbane four-piece, and how it will be used by other artists.