Mock & Toof – Temporary Happiness (Review)
Review by Jack Foley
MOCK & Toof defy easy categorising even though they operate in the dance arena.
Anyone anticipating Ibiza-friendliness, or anything approaching mainstream, had best think again though, for this is a dark, barely accessible album that takes a lot of getting used to.
A follow-up to 2010’s Tuning Echoes, this replaces previous vocal collaborators Pollyester and Gavin Gordon with young Swiss artist Ghostape, who adds an ethereal vocal in keeping with her name.
She’s also around for only half of the tracks… the remainder being instrumental.
But the biggest problem with the album is just how low-key it is for much of the time. On a track like Happy Crash, for instance, there’s just very little doing for much of the time.
In contrast, Get Out The Vay has a more upbeat vibe, with funky synths running in and out of a persuasive percussion element, to really bring the album to life. It has a quasi-carnival feel.
Walking The Streets also continues that lighter tempo and even taps into ‘70s funk properly to offer one of the undisputed highlights.
But you could argue it’s too little, too late. Early efforts such as Everything Is Known and the woozy Don’t Work, Don’t Care struggle to get going despite incorporating interesting elements. And that leads to a sense of frustration that, ultimately, the album never really recovers from.
Download picks: Get Out The Vay, Walking The Streets
Track listing: