Link to our Facebook
Link to our Instagram
Link to our TikTok

Live Review: Fishing have dropped a killer new EP, ‘Pleasure Dome’

29 January 2017 | 9:19 pm | Ted Dwyer

Sydney boys Doug & Russ, a.k.a Fishing, have just dropped their new 4 track EP, Pleasure Dome, featuring remixes from Pelvis & Christopher Port.

Pleasure Dome is the newest EP from Sydney duo FISHING, following on from their 2014 debut album, Shy Glow. Four tracks long, it also features top-notch remixes from Sydney’s Pelvis and Melbourne’s Christopher Port.

It’s been a little while since we’ve heard from Russell Fitzgibbon and Doug Wright (also one half of Body Promise alongside FBi Radio’s new music director, Amelia Jenner), who made a name for themselves a few years back through a seemingly never ending output of quirky electronica available for free online, known as the Hookz series.

 

It was around that time I came across the pair at a show, on support duties for some other band, armed with nothing but a couple of MIDI controllers, weaving a web of left-field dance music I’d never heard the likes of before. Not long after that came ‘Oooo’, and ‘Choy Lin’ (which I played so often that year I was accosted by my neighbour for not diversifying), and a clip of ‘Pee Green Bote’ being played live, in a boat, floating down the Thames. They’ve been one of my all-time favourite acts ever since.

Plug into the latest music with our FREE weekly newsletter

Pleasure Dome reaffirms Fishing’s ability to consistently grow and change with every release. Shy Glow was a huge step forward from their earlier offbeat sampling and production work, incorporating vocal features from Marcus Whale, Cloud Control’s Alister Wright, and Sures’ Jonas Nicholls (plus singing of their own) alongside some more club-friendly vibes, without losing that eccentric edge. The new EP is another step altogether, much more dancefloor-oriented, with a house-y edge that you can assume comes from a recent interest the duo have taken in the burgeoning Portuguese club scene and its online presence. Progression of this magnitude from release to release is refreshing to hear, and speaks volumes of the talent these boys possess.

The EP’s first single, ‘Yuwa’, is a total standout; atmospheric yet right at home in the club, and just wobbly enough to be instantly recognisable as Fishing’s work. It's got an insatiable groove and some wonderful change-ups that take the track along some massive twists and turns. The bass line in particular is thick and rubbery, offset with plenty of quirky samples. If you haven’t caught the clip for this one, it’s worth a look. It stars The Rubens smashing a couple of flavoured milks from the servo and rolling around the bush in a couple of utes, perfectly summing up the touch of Australiana present in the song.

Despite being made up of only four tracks, Pleasure Dome is an incredibly diverse EP. ‘Have A Seat’ is melodic and almost chill to begin with, before pushing into an urgent, jungle-influenced dance floor creeper, a slow burn that finishes up with frantic percussion that’ll have you bouncing around the room. Closer ‘Flood’ and title track ‘Pleasure Dome’ take things into housier territory, featuring slick synth melodies that keep things groovy.

Pelvis’ remix of ‘Yuwa’ is huge, a powerful, driving take on the original with more of a techno feel, a little less wobbly and fun and a little more serious and gritty. Christopher Port brings some garage vibes into the equation in his take on ‘Pleasure Dome’, mellowing the track out a bit and employing some choppier samples.

Pleasure Dome is out now, so cop it ASAP. Seriously.

Words by Ted Dwyer

SEE ALSO