Under the alias Chet Faker, the Australian auteur Nick Murphy found huge success in his homeland, and won critical plaudits internationally for his 2014 debut set, Built on Glass. A switch to his real name for the follow-up proved less successful on all fronts. Last year’s set of instrumental ambient soundscapes, Music for Silence, meanwhile, was so low-key it didn’t even warrant a physical release. It’s perhaps not a surprise, then, that Murphy has reverted to the pseudonym after five years in the wilderness.
Hotel Surrender doesn’t represent a radical departure from Built on Glass: the sound is artfully constructed – mellow, electronica-infused pop that is far bigger on textures than hooks. Opener Oh Me Oh My sets the tone: a swelling intro has Murphy softly intoning over the top, before giving way to polite, crooning, coffee-table pop. Coming across like Rag’n’Bone Man shorn of the bombast, it’s pleasant enough – no horses are going to be frightened here – but it cries out for a memorable chorus, and none is forthcoming. It’s a template Murphy comes back to again and again: the marginally more upbeat and engaging Feel Good aside, it’s all very tasteful but ultimately a little unexciting. As returns go, it’s an underwhelming one.
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