EP002 - EP

iTunes Review

On the surface of Thenewno2’s second EP, it may sound as though George Harrison’s son, Dhani, is doing everything in his power to dodge the Julian Lennon syndrome (wherein everything he recorded was compared to his father, John). But it takes only one listen to realize that Dhani grew up in an era of electo-indie and he’s just doing his thing. “Mr. President” is a brilliant braiding of genres that subtly brings to mind the best studio moments of Massive Attack and Tricky. What’s even more impressive is that it was recorded with founding Wu-Tang Clan members RZA, Sir Eyes, and Crisis. “Live a Lie” is another salient song, recalling Portishead’s penchant for dusty trip-hop textures and also featuring a guest appearance. This time it’s by Regina Spektor; her airy vocals flesh out the background verses, and she sublimely coos in the chorus. The album’s opener, “Wide Awake,” is a sleek ballad that could’ve been inspired by the same episode of the ‘60s show The Prisoner from which Harrison took the name Thenewno2.