Here's something a little different: Just Cosmo. The five-track EP came out at the end of February, and Cosmo Pyke is the man behind the mic. The 18-year old from the Peckham district of southeast London has a warm, straightforward style of mostly guitar and drum-driven tracks overlaid with his own, occasionally pitched vocals. In an interview with the UK’s Independent, Pyke gives a nod to drummer Eddie Amos, the only other musician that appears on the project. It is not surprising that a teenage up-and-comer such as Pyke handled the singing, songwriting and guitar playing on his own, but that makes it no less impressive, especially considering that he likely handled much of the post-production and mixing as well. The music is hard to precisely categorize; it blends elements of jazz, soul and rock, but with a distinct indie feel. It’s youthful and listenable, but there is a decidedly melancholy feel present as well. It would be doing Pyke a disservice to label it angst, but he touches on many familiar topics that cause teens grief; drugs, romance, trying to escape a shitty hometown, dreams that don’t match up with reality, etc.
Pyke is not a supremely powerful vocalist or guitarist; rather, he has a sharp ear for pitches and chords that allow him to be adventurous with his singing and guitar playing without missing the mark. “Wish You Were Gone” is an excellent example of this. The track is about an ex-lover, and Pyke spends the first half wishing he could escape her and her memory in a rather melancholy tone. Around the 2-minute mark, the drums and guitar pick up, and Pyke sounds more defiant as he now tells his former flame to stay out of his life as there is no chance of them working it out. “Chronic Sunshine,” the most played of the tracks on SoundCloud, features punchy chords and kicking drums as we gain an insight into why Pyke makes music. Having come to terms with the “germs and fuckries” in his life, Pyke realizes he wants none of that and sees music as his ticket out of Peckham. He is being “spat out” of his old neighborhood as those around him are suffering from the “vicious repetition” of day after day of getting nowhere, reinforced by the imagery of them cycling home during the chorus.
The track segues nicely into “After School Club,” featuring airy guitar chords as well as maracas in the background. This track seems to be more vaguely about the perils of youth, using the “after school club” ironically to refer the mischief and bullshit Pyke gets into with his friends after school. “Social Sites” comes next with a more plodding guitar/drum combo as Pyke again touches upon his troubles with women. He seems to have more mixed feelings about this girl, but by the third verse he is feeling the pain of watching her slip away. We can hear the heartbreak too as the beat scatters by the final chorus/outro as Pyke’s voice fluctuates and becomes more distorted. The closer “Great Dane” is similar in theme and sound, but with slinky chords and softer drums. Pyke and a girl both appear to be struggling with issues of fidelity, but Pyke finds himself getting more and more attached as the song continues despite what he knows about this girl. On an EP largely about the teenage years and the feelings associated with said years, it seems fitting that the project would end with Pyke trying to sort through his confusing romantic feelings.
Just Cosmo is a great introduction from a multitalented artist and model who will surely be around for years to come. The topics are accessible and well-articulated (if slightly hackneyed), the instrumentation is cohesive and consistent, and Pyke knows how to effectively manipulate his voice for maximum effect. In my mind, a logical next step for Pyke would be more mature subject matter, more complex instrumentation/beats, and a stronger vocal showing. That said, Just Cosmo exceeds expectations for a kid still trying to figure out who he is as a musician and where music could take him.