Refs – Normal Too / Milk

The NYC/Berlin based duo follow up their summer-closing number Play God, with double AA side, Normal Too / Milk.

This time with Refs, the pairing of Richard Saunders and Zach Lipkins create two singles which together unveil a union that goes much deeper than what you’d expect from a first appearance. Both tracks underlining narratives discuss the fear of inadequacy while equally accept this as a matter of regularity.

Normal Too, with it’s opening line of “Your mind is made and I don’t understand”, followed by the motif “Be normal too – I wanted you” immediately sets its foundations, diving into the territory of relationship trauma, the emotion unleashed post/midst-break up when faced with personal conflict and the ability to disguise anguish and fear behind well thought out synths. Grinding into different gears meticulously, as Saunders’ vocals soar into a more pop-friendly form of Chet Faker, Normal Too excels at being a thought envoking track, masquerading as simply being only a stylistic piece of sophisticated indie pop.

Milk, while driven by a similar narrative relating to anguish and fear, projects itself much more calmly, exchanging the intensity of Normal Too’s thunderous synths, for soothing acoustic guitars with Saunders humming along, never rising to anything louder than being softly spoken. Trading chaos for the dysfunctional calm after an emotional storm, the peaceful bliss that arises on Milk, from the severe inner turmoil of Normal Too, is beautifully captured and hopelessly addictive.