The Green Child – ‘Look Familiar’ (Upset the Rhythm / Hobbies Galore)

Look Familiar shows The Green Child, from Naarm/Melbourne, widening both their sound and lineup. Originally a studio project by Raven Mahon and Mikey Young, the full band now includes Shaun Gionis (Boomgates) on drums and Alex Macfarlane (Hobbies Galore) on guitar and synths. Gionis’s live drumming adds a solid backbone to their ever-shifting sound, while the group’s mix of psychedelic pop now has a fresh energy and depth that makes Look Familiar more vibrant and full of surprises.

The album opens with ‘Wow Factor’, a track that sets the tone with eerie, spectral synths and guitar lines that shimmer and echo. Mahon’s vocals drift through, sparkling like dust in sunlight, delivering lyrics that confront “double standards in international justice”. Her voice, airy yet intense, amplifies the track’s unsettled nostalgia, calling to mind the hazy hauntology of Boards of Canada. The song’s ambient glow draws listeners in, setting up an album that refuses to rest on familiar ground.

In ‘The Lawn’ Mahon takes a personal turn, crafting a tribute to her grandmother and the desert commune where she lived—a short-lived socialist experiment captured in the song’s lush, looping intensity. Synth-heavy with an ‘80s pop sensibility and krautrock’s hypnotic pulse, the track pairs escapist, lustrous melodies with lyrics that tell of her grandmother’s factory job binding cables for NASA. As the track progresses, a glimmering guitar riff breaks through, adding a bright, unexpected twist.

‘Step Over Water’ veers off, blending punk grit with cosmic Americana, keeping listeners suspended in a genre-bending space where familiar elements are subtly reframed. With its seamless flow from one musical idea to the next, the album feels like a dream collage where each track is a distinct memory, connected to the last.

There’s a more classic psych sound on ‘Easy Window’, with its rolling toms and hypnotic bassline evoking Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk. Wah guitar, sweeping strings, and hints of clavichord melt together, crafting a darkly alluring, richly textured piece that hints at danger just below the surface. Here, The Green Child’s skill at layering sounds shines through, blending wide-open atmospheres with a sense of closeness and emotional warmth.

‘A Long Beautiful Flowing Cape’ follows glistening with glassy synth arpeggios, its bright textures haunted by a subtle refracted dissonance. Mahon’s lyrics are a commentary on “internet interactions and distorted social contracts,” flitting through spirals of synth and twirling guitar tones that mirror her musings on the complex ways people connect. The track’s punchy bassline and gleaming melodies make it an obvious highlight and lead single, hooking you on first listen, not letting go.

‘Year of the Books’ ups the intensity midway through the album, combining a motorik pulse with arpeggiated synths and distorted guitar riffs that feel almost confrontational. Mahon’s cool, steady vocals push up against the raw, jagged chords, creating a tension that’s somehow as satisfying as it is jarring. As the album’s title track, ‘Look Familiar’ slows down the mood, drawing us into a calmer space. Mahon’s vocals settle like a soft blanket over woozy synths, creating a moment of introspection that contrasts with the album’s sharper edges.

With ‘Private Laugh’ the album shifts once again, beginning with a groovy, guitar-driven intro that expands into a fuzzy, immersive chorus. Mahon’s vocals and guitar intertwine in a playful yet intense dance, underscored by synths that add a skeletal, xylophone-like texture. This leads into the curious punk-inflected ‘Feet Are Rebels’ where scratchy guitar lines and a punchy bassline give the song a rock edge that’s somehow both gritty and polished.

The final track, ‘Arrows and Microtones’ is a stunning contrast to the album’s earlier moments. Mahon’s tender vocals and delicate acoustic guitar evoke a distant, barely remembered nostalgia, with swirling, brassy synths and tunneling pads. It’s like staring into the depths of a memory, slipping further until you’re lost in its melancholic, unfinished ending. You’ll find yourself hitting repeat, drawn back into the delicate world it weaves.

With Look Familiar, The Green Child doesn’t stay in any one musical lane for long. Mahon’s soft yet commanding vocals anchor each track, while the band is free to explore new ground. The real magic lies in those moments where they break away from familiar dream-pop haze and dive into something sharper and more charged, casting Mahon’s voice in a new light, revealing its depth as it adapts to each change in tone. If you’re into Beach House, Broadcast, or Melody’s Echo Chamber, this album will feel like home —but with a few doors left open, inviting you to wander further.