Gotye is a somewhat scraggly Australian pop artist (emphasis on the artist part), but kind-looking, with a name that’s easy for us Americans to Google but near impossible to pronounce correctly. He’s long since made that name for himself down under in a big way, but it wasn’t until his hauntingly catchy single “Somebody That I Used to Know” perked the ears of millions of Youtubers that he found a second home in the states. And we’re glad to have him – that single perfectly satiates our current musical cravings for sincerity, attitude and indie-pop experimentation – and it’s only one of many colorful bends in his origami-like U.S. debut “Making Mirrors.” It’s an abstract creation, a little weird at times and incredibly diverse, but always interesting. It’s an album that kind of blooms as you hear it, and it’s fun trying to predict the shape it’s gonna take.
As for Gotye himself, his real name is Wouter De Backer, and he’s a slightly nerdy, self-proclaimed “music-making mutant” with a penchant for new sounds (really, new, like the bass line in “Eyes Wide Open” recorded on the Winton Musical Fence) and a tendency towards brilliance. If you’re interested in hearing more about him, you should read his skittish mini-autobiography on his website. You’ll basically have to squeeze out the information and imagine your way around some intentionally neglected punctuation, but it’s worth the ten minutes and sheds some light on his creative process (and it explains what that fence thing is).
I don’t know anything about what to expect from him live – like I said, he’s still pretty new around here. But his reputation in Australia precedes him as a sell-out audience counts down the days until he arrives at EMU’s Pease Auditorium on April 2. If you don’t have tickets and aren’t inspired enough by this preview to will yourself into the auditorium, check out the video for “Somebody That I Used to Know” in the meantime if you haven’t already (I’ll bet you become attached to the captivating Kimbra as well). And keep an eye out for our review of the show.
