Much has changed since the last time Immortal Girlfriend released an EP. In the nearly four full years that have followed the self-described “Dark Knights of Synth” chasing its Daybreak debut with the ante-upping RIDE, the duo composed of siblings William and Kevin Bush have continued to build upon, bolster, and broaden its body of work.
Between a steady wave of impressive standalone singles, ambitious and arty music videos for said standalone singles, festival appearances and high-profile support slots for noted musicians passing through the region, and a growing list of placements on TV shows (including a song on Netflix’s Wednesday!), the Bush brothers have remained busy throughout. Along the way, they even made time to start their own outstanding solo ventures, as William launched an electronic-infused effort called Black Challenger and Kevin took a more stripped-down approach with MATTHÚ.
All the while, they were also quietly creating material for another EP. This past Friday, Immortal Girlfriend surprised listeners with the unexpected release of Sojourner. The project’s latest features seven previously unreleased songs that continue the trend of exceptional otherworldly output by one of the city’s best all-around acts.
Sojourner kicks off with an instrumental title track, which begins ominously before ascending into a world-building crescendo of synth, keys, and pounding percussion over a five-and-a-half-minute span. Tone effectively set, “Hourglass” is a pulsing and driving—quite literally, as it features sounds of revving motorcycles—second offering. While Sojourner seems intended to be experienced in its entirety, “Calling”, with its soaring production, bumping beats, and William’s arresting hooks is a standout single that should earn placement on plenty of playlists in the months to come. Kevin, who’s quite the singer himself, also provides vocal touches to the sleek and shimmering EP-ending “Diamond Black.”
Over the course of the self-produced, self-mixed, and self-mastered EP’s nearly half-hour runtime, listeners are invited to spend time traversing the lush landscapes and expansive environments Immortal Girlfriend carefully crafted through their technical proficiency, lyrical skills, and an uncanny ability to breathe human life into largely synthetic source material. Yes, the year is still quite young, but we feel confident in saying Sojourner will wind up being one of Milwaukee’s best releases of 2024.