Even at 70,
Kim Althea Gordon is as provocative and socially aware as ever. Her first
LP in five years,
The Collective (2024, Matador), is a culmination of her observations and experiences in today's society. The songs delve into the effects of social media overload, using distortion to dissect and expose other ingrained societal behaviors.
Justin Raisen
Reunited with record producer
Justin Raisen, her collaborator on the 2019 full-length studio album
No Home Record, Kim Gordon strikes a balance between the experimentalism of Sonic Youth's early records, four decades ago, and contemporary pop music. From the grimy beats reminiscent of SoundCloud rap artists like Jordan Terrell Carter and
Symere Bysil Woods to the use of vocals that echo
Charli XCX, Raisen's frequent collaborator, Gordon seems to navigate time effortlessly, all while focusing on distinct themes and concepts.
"Bye Bye"
The record album's opening song, "Bye Bye," is perhaps the best representation of this. While the beats and effects-laden basslines seem ripped straight from a recent rap album, Gordon wanders amidst excesses, luxury brands, and purposeless routines, exposing the manufactured reality of countless digital influencers. This same critique of celebrity culture continues in "Psychedelic Orgasm," with an updated analysis of Los Angeles, the artist's hometown.
