★★★☆☆

Like the quintessential cool high schooler, Gideon Benson’sCold Cold Heartis all popped collars, leather jacket sheen and slightly vacuous ideals.

It doesn’t stand for anything or break any new ground, but its dogged ’80s revivalism and textural pleasures make it a great deal more enjoyable than it deserves to be.

Benson, one-fifth of Australian superstars The Preatures, reveals himself to be the master of the pop hook. The synth-heavy, shimmering ‘Shame’ contains some of the catchiest riffs this side of The The’s Soul Mining, and the glossy backing vocals that drench the piece are delightfully, deliriously kitsch. It’s a glitzy, glamorous testament to excess, and proof that certain styles can be improved by pushing proceedings past all semblance of good taste.

That said, there is an unavoidable sonic flabbiness to the work; a vague sense of self-indulgence that becomes increasingly apparent towards the EP’s latter half. ‘Talk Talk’ is good, but not great, and serves only to prove that you can have one too many a reverb-heavy chorus (who knew?). Even at four tracks long, Cold Cold Heart begins to overstay its welcome.

But even when it doesn’t work, it does. Cool is as cool does, and Cold Cold Heart will make your soul sashay.

Gideon Bensen’sCold Cold Heartis out now through Puncture/Universal.

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