Cosmo’s Midnight – Yesteryear (2020)

Australia is well known for churning out many Electronic artists and Electronic groups that change everything with their releases. Based in Sydney, the duo for Cosmo’s Midnight released this album back in 2020. With an awesome painted album cover that is beautiful and a nod to past artistry of Impressionist style paintings back in the 1800s, this should be an interesting and captivating listen. Let’s hear this album, which is seen as the duo’s best.

Unwind begins the album with some tripped out ethereal textures, before launching into a very Daft Punk inspired groove. A great intro is followed by processed vocals and some subtle funky instrumentation. This is surprisingly decent and excellent, although likely not the most original sort of music innovation out there. Despite that, this is a very excellent tune to listen to. There is a breakdown in the midsection that sounds really interesting, detailed and surreal. Even for a lesser track, this is a good listen from start to finish. Rather catchy, it is an artsy, funky groove that deserves repeat listens. Nice effort.

Yesteryear begins with some pretty electronic sounds, warm vocals and launches into an amazingly funky groove that sounds really decent and listenable. A great and excellent listen, this is a wonderful and driven listen that is very much along the lines of contemporary music, but sounds very colourful and impressive. A really interesting and detailed listen, this is Funk music for those who live in the 21st century. Good tune, this cements this album as a genuinely good listen. There is an instrumental build-up, before the final section kicks in and this tune sounds fantastic. Great tune.

It’s Love (feat. Matthew Young) begins with some unusual samples, followed quickly by raunchy bass guitar, processed vocals and some interesting sounds throughout. A really nice and well-delivered tune, this sounds really awesome listening for those who thought that a lot of EDM couldn’t get Funky or fun. Very catchy and reasonable listening, there is a breakdown with some lush Fender style guitars in it and some great beautiful instrumentation in it. This is a very catchy piece of music that stands tall. A great listen with many subtle Electronic sounds on it. Nice job.

Have It All (feat. Age.Sex.Location) comes next, beginning with some falsetto vocals, followed by some interesting percussion, more Funk sounding instrumentation and a sense that this album is a real classic. The combination of EDM logic and different musical elements makes this piece sound wonderful. This is very indebted to the Funk/Disco movements of the 1970s but delivers in a way that those listening in the 2020s would love. A trumpet solo enters in the second half, which is cool and amazing. This is followed by chanted vocals that are highly processed but sounding very decent. Towards the end is some ongoing chanting and more eclectic sounds, before finishing abruptly. Great.

Ice (feat. Stevan) begins with some weird pitch-shifted sounds before some random sounds and lyrics enter. This is a contemporary song that sounds a bit weird, but nonetheless, is very listenable. It continues the theme of the album, and although this is a lesser track, it does sound really excellent. It’s a song about relationship issues, which is weird, not actually about the drug ice itself. A slower piece of music that is a laidback listening experience, it breaks down in the second half, before some organ sounds enter and the singing brings it all back in. A good effort nonetheless. It sounds very futuristic.

A Million Times begins with pitch-shifted vocals and sounds that are heavily Funky. This is another good song, which sounds very picturesque and pretty. A really gorgeous and uplifting tune, this does sound really lovely. The amount of editing and intricacies of this song are phenomenal, and the whole thing sounds fresh and inspired. There is a Breakbeat and Funk sensibility on this track, and the whole thing is a great hybrid of sound and textures. A painting of the future? You bet, these guys have it nailed down. Excellent work, it ends very much in a lush way. Dazzling.

Down For You begins with some strange sounds and matching harmonies, before launching right into a more mellow and less vocally autotuned piece, which is a real standout on this album. This song sounds really pretty and impressive, and is a great piece of contemporary music, with a huge amount of inspiration and is a melting pot of music into an original piece. A really gorgeous piece of music, Ruel’s great vocals make this piece come alive, singing very well on this song. A standout on this album, and a must listen to those who dig Funky EDM.

The Get Down begins with cut-up ambient sounds, before beats slowly fade in, along with a super deep bass guitar line. This quickly launches into a mellow and danceable piece of music that sounds really gorgeous and impressive. A really pretty and excellent tune, this sounds great and listenable. Two minutes of audio bliss, it ends with ambient sounds and a touch of piano. Nice work.

Time Wasted begins with some great beats, more funky bass guitar and processed vocals. A really decent and upbeat tune that is very danceable, this is some of the more underrated contemporary music that sounds really turbocharged and is an excellent listening experience. Some clean Fender guitars and other rather trippy sounds are present on this song, making it an unusual mix, but a good one at that. There is a brief breakdown in the second half before this thing gets super tripped out with loads of intricate stereo panning. “I can’t satisfy you,” is repeated, before a nice instrumental finishes this off.

Idaho begins with some straightforward and simple beats before some additionally different and interesting textures emerge. This is a really pretty song that is devoted to a place in the USA, despite the fact that these guys are Australian. Despite this, this tune is very laidback, grooving and amazing. It is the sort of thing you can close your eyes and listen to with headphones on your bed. A fun and listenable piece of music, this is a great journey through sound. There is a brief breakdown before this piece gets grooving again. A really cool and refreshing tune, this is obviously indebted to legendary artists such as Daft Punk and other European EDM legends. It ends with loads of delayed elements in the track, nice job.

C.U.D.I (Can U Dig It) begins with some weird textures, quickly followed by Fender Stratocaster style funk guitars, before launching into a really cool tune that is danceable, groovy and very much a contemporary piece of music. A catchy and awesome listen, this sounds really intricate and interesting. Although this is rather a repetitive tune per se, fortunately, it is not boring at all. A fun, fresh and funky listen, there is an amazingly tripped out breakdown in the second half which is really awesome. A really cool and uplifting tune, this is a must-hear from this album. Awesome stuff. It ends with funky guitar and more trippy textures, great job.

We Could Last Forever is the last track on this album, and it is a more typical Funky groove that is pretty and lovely. Very great to listen to, this is an inspiring listening experience that finishes off this album. A really pure and cool listen, this is a fantastic and wonderful listen. An honestly wonderful and surreal listen, this is fun and excellent. A good way to finish off an album of this sort, great work. The album ends with a slow fade-out.

No doubt a classic album is here and yes, you should judge albums by their cover. A very pretty, surreal, artistic and interesting listen, this is the better side of contemporary music today. This shows a fun side of the 2020s ahead. If you like EDM that isn’t 4/4 bass beats and instead is of a high-class nature, seek this out. You will not be disappointed.

Excellently Funky Electronic music.

8/10