The Sunset Violent is not just another Mount Kimbie album
Mount Kimbie album The Sunset Violent Shifts sounds for them which marks a transformative moment in the duo’s musical evolution. Known for their trailblazing blend of electronic textures, ambient tones, and indie-leaning structures, the UK-based act has always defied easy categorisation. But with this new release, the shift is unmistakable. The Sunset Violent is not just another Mount Kimbie album—it’s a full-bodied sonic reinvention, pushing their artistry in a new, more guitar-driven direction without abandoning the experimental roots that first earned them their acclaim.
Released on April 5, 2024 via Warp Records, the album introduces a more visceral, rock-oriented palette. Swapping glitchy beats and warped samples for live drums and fuzzed-out guitars, Mount Kimbie taps into a raw, almost shoegaze-tinged energy that feels fresh yet distinctly them. It’s a sound that both surprises and makes perfect sense, as if this progression was always simmering beneath the surface of their discography.
A New Lineup, A New Dynamic
The album’s shift in sound is reflected in its lineup. Longtime members Dom Maker and Kai Campos are now joined by Andrea Balency-Béarn and Marc Pell, marking a new chapter for the project. Their presence adds texture and tension, grounding the album in something more tangible and performance-led. From the very first track, “The Trail,” it’s clear that The Sunset Violent isn’t operating in the purely electronic realm anymore. This is a band, not just a duo behind laptops and synths.
Tracks like “Dumb Guitar” and “Shipwreck” immediately set the tone—guitars ring with distortion, drums crash with urgency, and yet the atmospheric layering Mount Kimbie is known for remains intact. There’s a distinct physicality to the album, as if it was built in rooms filled with amplifiers and real-time collaboration rather than in isolation on a DAW. It’s an approach that brings a kind of emotional immediacy to the music, a grittiness that balances their usual polish.
Retaining the Experimental Core
Despite this stylistic pivot, Mount Kimbie haven’t left their electronic identity behind. In fact, much of The Sunset Violent thrives in the tension between their glitchy, ambient roots and their newfound guitar-heavy aesthetic. The production remains forward-thinking—rich in texture, meticulously layered, and rhythmically unpredictable. You can still hear echoes of their earlier records like Crooks & Lovers and Cold Spring Fault Less Youth, but they’ve been refracted through a darker, more analogue lens.
“Fishbrain” and “Got Me” are perfect examples. Both flirt with rhythmic dissonance and textural abrasion, but there’s an underlying melodic core that grounds the chaos. These aren’t songs built just to impress with technical complexity—they carry emotional weight, with a sense of disorientation that feels purposeful rather than ornamental.
The album’s structure also reflects this duality. Each track unfolds with a cinematic sensibility, moving between moments of quiet introspection and surging intensity. There’s a narrative flow here, even if it’s abstract—an emotional throughline that makes the whole album feel like a cohesive experience rather than a collection of experiments.
The King Krule Effect
One of the standout features of The Sunset Violent is the return of long-time collaborator King Krule, who appears on two tracks: “Boxing” and “Empty and Silent.” His unmistakable vocals—somewhere between a growl and a croon—inject the songs with a melancholic edge. It’s a perfect pairing. Krule’s raw delivery cuts through the swirling textures, giving shape and gravity to the album’s most emotionally charged moments.
On “Boxing,” his voice floats over a haze of reverb-heavy guitar and ambient washes, delivering lines that feel both intimate and distant. “Empty and Silent” doubles down on this mood, with Krule’s presence anchoring the track in noir-ish introspection. These songs highlight Mount Kimbie’s gift for collaboration, not just in terms of name power. But in how they mould their sound around their guest’s unique energy without losing their own identity.
Critical Acclaim and Artistic Courage
Reception to The Sunset Violent has been largely positive, with critics praising Mount Kimbie’s fearless reinvention. While some longtime fans might have expected a return to the duo’s glitchy, post-dubstep foundations, the shift feels natural, even inevitable. It’s the sound of artists refusing to stagnate, choosing growth over predictability.
What’s remarkable is how fully committed this new version of Mount Kimbie feels. This isn’t a genre detour or a side experiment—it’s a redefinition. The album’s title itself, The Sunset Violent, suggests a certain drama, an end and a rebirth wrapped into one. And that’s exactly what the record delivers: a farewell to one era and a bold leap into the next.
In a landscape where many electronic artists play it safe, Mount Kimbie’s willingness to evolve is refreshing. They’ve taken the DNA of their early work—atmospheric, textured, introspective—and amplified it through new instruments, new collaborators, and new emotional registers. The result is an album that feels vital and alive, full of tension, tenderness, and sonic exploration.
Tracklist:
1. The Trail
2. Dumb Guitar
3. Shipwreck
4. Boxing (feat. King Krule)
5. Empty and Silent (feat. King Krule)
6. Fishbrain
7. Got Me
8. A Figure in the Surf
9. The Sunset Violent
Empty And Silent ft King Krule
Mount Kimbie Album Shifts sound with The Sunset Violent.
With The Sunset Violent, Mount Kimbie make it clear they’re not content to stay in one lane. This is a band in motion, unafraid to experiment, evolve, and challenge both themselves and their listeners. Dive into the full album to experience one of the most striking sonic shifts of the year.
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