Album Review: Gotye - Making Mirrors

Gotye - Making Mirrors

It's taken three albums and quite a few years for anyone outside his native Australia to notice Gotye - real name Wouter de Backer. The 31 year old has recently shot to worldwide fame with his UK number one single Somebody That I Used To Know and follows up this success with the international release of his third album, 2011's Making Mirrors.

I'll be honest - this album is something of a mixed bag. A couple of songs coming in at under two minutes lull you gently into his laid-back sound, before the smash hit (and brilliant tune) Somebody That I Used To Know takes over. Featuring guest vocalist Kimbra, it's a song that is almost the definition of a 'grower' and its acerbic lyrics will resonate with anyone who's no longer in contact with an ex-partner.

From then on, Making Mirrors is an eclectic mix of sounds and styles. I Feel Better is a Motown inspired pop belter which sounds as if it was swept off the cutting room floor of Cee-Lo Green's studio. In Your Light channels George Michael's Faith before turning into the perfect song for a sunny car journey while State of the Art sounds like a cross between the Alan Parsons Project and Thomas Dolby.

It's difficult to make an assessment on this record based on a couple of listens. It took me half a dozen listens to really begin to enjoy Somebody That I Used To Know and I think the album is similar. With repeated listens I suspect it could be a record which starts to get under your skin and I think it will take some time to fully appreciate the songwriting and delivery here. Making Mirrors is not an instant hit, but certainly one to come back to.