After attending St. Peter’s College in Auckland and becoming best friends, Jordan Arts and Sam McCarthy formed the group Kids Of 88. The New Zealand-based duo is usually considered a “New Wave” or electro group. Their single, “Just A Little Bit,” won the Single Of The Year award as well as the Music Video Of The Year award at the 2010 New Zealand Music Awards.
The title of this record is Just A Little Bit, and rightly so. It features three different versions of the award-winning song, including the original and two remixes. Other than “Just A Little Bit,” the album features two other songs: “Downtown” and “SQRL.” The record starts off with the original version of “Just A Little Bit,” an upbeat electronic song, reminiscent of bands like Passion Pit. With the smooth mix of rock and electro elements, it is easy to see why it is so highly praised in New Zealand.
As the songs went on, I felt as if they became very repetitive with the electro beats. It felt as if the vocals were placed on top of simple sound loops after a couple songs. Initially, I thought this record could be a hit, but the repetition turned me off. In my opinion, the original version of “Just A Little Bit” was the only truly enjoyable song featured here.
In A Word: Mundane
