Dan Deacon - Bromst
Dan Deacon generally does something that many people can't and that's make electronica that is simultaneously good whilst also being (relatively) accessible. He does this by raiding the radiophonic sound effects library but without abandoning or ignoring his ear for melody. So when this came through the E&D letter box I was intrigued to discover what lay inside.
It's interesting stuff and, as I say, it retains an element of melody in it that a lot of electronica abandons, but while I can appreciate the quality and the imagination that has gone into it, it leaves me a bit cold. It just seems soulless. The album has numerous silly moments that tend to annoy rather than to intrigue. Take 'Woof Woof' for example, which sounds like Lemon Jelly's worst moments with the ‘annoy’ control turned to full (ok the warped bass and frenetic Battles-like ending justify its existence but still....). Also see...actually there are just too many moments to mention when the chipmunk style vocals take over, and rather than entertain make me wish for genocide on all furry rodents that have a propensity for bursting into song - that includes you, Thumper!
'Paddling Ghost' has personality - granted it's the personality of that office pest at the Christmas party that won't leave the helium alone, but still it has personality - the circus ground fiasco of sound that erupts behind the vocals, create a heady swirl and would not be out of place on Animal Collectives’ last two offerings but ENOUGH WITH THE CHIPMUNKS!
Despite this there are some truly great moments, but those moments are fleeting. 'Snookered' has a beautiful introduction with plaintive glockenspiel and minimal electronic buzz, bringing to mind a dewy awakening, followed by some sharp, distorted, synth stabs, which illuminate the gentle ambience of the background - I could just listen to that forever, and as such it’s almost ruined by the introduction of the vocals, almost. But with some gloriously inventive use of sampled vocals as percussion, and the solitary glockenspiel at the end leading seamlessly into 'Of The Mountains', it's just about saved.
Another sweet moment, is the beginning of 'Surprise Stefani', which is akin to Eno's ambient experiments - all sweet feedback and electronic drones. In isolation electronic music doesn't get much better than these moments but then they're diluted by random silliness and some rather naff native Indian chanting (see 'Of The Mountains'). The rest of the song doesn't live up to its introduction, but it gives it a damn good go, culminating in what seems like a vicious battle between Patrick Moore and Evelyn Glennie.
What he does well is multi layer vocals - this can especially be seen on 'Build Voice' (which is a bit Ronseal - does exactly what it says on the tin!!) and 'Wet Wings' which is a mind bending wall of layered vocal samples, as it builds you’re left disoriented, tensely waiting and on edge for what it's about to build into and what it does build into is a.....oh, nothing. Is that it? Yeah, it sounds pretty and everything, but you’re just left disappointed and expecting that little bit more, a bit like at your first sexual fumblings. And that kind of sums up the whole of 'Bromst' for me.
Listen to your mother - take your time, don't rush in, find an album you really love and make sure you use protection (Ok, the last bit makes no sense but you know what I mean).
Top Tracks: 'Surprise Stefani', ‘Snookered’.
Released March 23 on Carpark Records