Mystery Guest - Octagon City (2020)

'Octagon City' is the debut album from Mystery Guest, the project of Caitlyn Lesiuk (Peak Twins / Elizabeth) and Pat Telfer (Bitch Prefect / Old Mate). "Have you ever considered using a different shape?" Asks Caitlyn on the title track, gliding on a mellow groove of mellotron tape loops. "Have you always wanted the roundness of a circle and the structure of a square... at the same time? Well now you can, let me introduce you to our limited edition, Mystery Guest, all-in-one, Octagon. For a short time only." It's a great deal. Mystery Guest deliver on their promise, offering fresh forms of synth-pop, new wave and post-punk, with "explorations of the possibility of love, politics, and spirituality under capitalism." These weighty subjects are balanced by the band's light-hearted humour, and propelled by bass-heavy grooves and percussive rhythms. Listening to the creative freedom at play is a transporting experience, right when we need it most.