by Scott Yohe
In 1935, the lone novel by English anarchist, Jungian, and poet Herbert Read was published. Titled The Green Child, it inspired the name of the band formed in 2018 by Grass Widow’s Raven Mahon and Total Control’s Mikey Young. Now a four-piece group, The Green Child has released their latest sci-fi-esque synth-pop album, Look Familiar, via Upset the Rhythm and Hobbies Galore. Building on their already-established sound, this album showcases tighter grooves and a collective focus on creating something excellent while still having fun. The title Look Familiar suits the album perfectly, as its sounds are simultaneously familiar and otherworldly. It feels like music from the far reaches of space—a soundtrack for aliens cruising across the cosmos. Its familiarity is eerie in the kind of way that you cannot quite put your finger on and yet you cannot resist trying to.
The opener, “Wow Factor,” sets the tone with a strange, persistent synth sound that underscores the entire track, highlighting the band’s cohesion and skill right from the start. The next track, “The Lawn,” is an upbeat jam driven by a motorik beat that propels the song forward. “Easy Window” features some of the album’s best interplay between guitar, drums, bass, and synths, with the addition of a violin elevating the groove to new heights. “A Long Beautiful Flowing Cape” feels like it could soundtrack a Nintendo GameCube game. Meanwhile, “Year of Books” captures The Green Child at their loudest and most chaotic, yet still completely in control. The album closes with “Arrows and Microtones,” a hauntingly beautiful track that feels like a tender farewell from outer space, as though the aliens are leaving Earth to explore another planet.
Look Familiar is an adventure through space and sound, brimming with influences like Stereolab, Kraftwerk, and various post-punk bands, yet remaining distinctively The Green Child. Young’s synth and guitar work shines throughout the album while Mahon’s vocals exude a beautifully nonchalant quality, underscored by evident effort in every line. Shaun Gionis delivers a masterclass in krautrock-inspired drumming, and Alex Macfarlane’s additional guitars and synths, combined with Mahon’s bass, provides the glue that holds everything together.
In just forty minutes, Look Familiar takes listeners on a journey they’ll never want to end. Luckily, it doesn’t have to—each listen reveals something new or recontextualizes familiar sounds in unexpected ways. The album exudes a sense of wonder that’s hard to find, and it’s easy to imagine Herbert Read, a man full of wonder himself when he wrote The Green Child, being thoroughly impressed. He would be proud that this Australian band took what he created and expanded on it in such a creative way. That they were willing to explore their imaginations and put something as good as Look Familiar out into the world.