Mamba

On his second full-length as Gary V, South African expat Garett van der Spek wields a spiky, post-punk attack to deliver a somewhat bleak though melodic examination of current events and potential dark futures. The Los Angeles-based solo artist made his debut in 2016 with a similarly toned self-titled set on the ANTI- label, working with producer Chris Woodhouse to shape his minimalist guitar-and-drum-machine approach. For his 2018 follow-up, Mamba, van der Spek resumes his collaboration with Woodhouse, evolving his still spare sound to include live drums, bass, and tastefully placed synths. This expanded palette works in his favor, especially on standouts like the sleek lead single Daggers and the hooky Brainwaves. The moody synth-driven Ocean Floor adds nice depth, while the churning, Motorik Live Like Dogs keeps the brisk pace where van der Spek seems to live most comfortably. In terms of songwriting and depth, Mamba is a strong sophomore outing and an improvement on its predecessor. ~ Timothy Monger