When O. Children released their first album, it was 2010, doom and gloom was in, and you couldn’t move for band like Editors, The National and Interpol. Two years later, and well I think we’re all a bit over it. And ‘Apnea’ isn’t the album to bring it back. Tobias O’Kandi’s ominous baritone vocals linger over the album, which was named after a sleeping condition he developed from the stress of a legal battle in order to stop him being deported. Safe to say it’s not a cheerful record, but it does have anthemic ambitions.
‘The Realest’ is an exact fulfilment of those ambitions, as O’Kandi’s dark verses are complimented with almost euphoric choruses, of the type which led to White Lies headlining Wembley Arena. Current single ‘PT Cruiser’ is a swaggering jaunt reminiscent of Nick Cave (unsurprising considered the band are named after one of his songs), and ‘I Know You (Love Me)’ is a taste of what the band could be. Rhythmic synths and backing singers bring some light to the track, with an understated chorus to top it off, and prove that O. Children aren’t necessarily what they may first appear.
But at the same time as this depressing glory, tracks like ‘H8 City’ and ‘Red Like Fire’ are boring and wash over you in a wave of dark guitars, which ends up letting the album as a whole down. If this was still 2010, O. Children might have got away with it. But it’s 2012 now and we want something new. If they’re going to put shit songs in with the few good ones, it might be too late to salvage their stadium dreams.
6.7
Jessy Parker
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