Django Django GLOWING IN THE DARK. Because Music

Over the course of their discography to date, Django Django have constantly headed left where others have gone right. Described by The Guardian as ‘capable of making music that sounds close to perfection’, they are known for their genre defying eclectic sound. There is a running theme of escape: from despair, from constraints, from small town life, and even, in dreams, from the Earth. The title track, for instance, soars towards the stratosphere. It’s a track built around a sample from one of Dave Maclean’s spoken word records, generously upholstered with Moog synths and drum loops.

The quartet of David Maclean (drummer and producer), Vincent Neff (singer and guitarist), Jimmy Dixon (bassist) and Tommy Grace (synthesizer operator) met at Edinburgh College of Art, and formed Django Django in London in 2009. David Maclean is the son of artist Marian Leven, brother of musician and director John Maclean and cousin of singer Lindsey Leven who performs with Guto Pryce in the band Gulp. Maclean and Grace are Scottish; Neff is originally from Northern Ireland while Dixon hails from Yorkshire. The band’s music can be classified as a mix of art rock, neo-psychedelia, electronic rock, electronica, indie rock, and progressive rock.

“Our name has absolutely nothing to do with Django Reinhardt”, wrote the band.

Review

I confess Django Django has been missing from my listening library so the opportunity to review this critically acclaimed band is welcome. With its rather apparent eclectic generic nature, I wondered whether something more focused would be more enticing. So I start the CD with some trepidation…The band opens with ‘Spirals’ and an interesting instrumental introduction that gradually gathers speed and more instruments including an influential drum set. The distant/echoed vocal eventually arrives in manipulated dance-music style, augmented by multi-layered voices. The song is fast-paced with a long instrumental interlude but lacks a strong melody to capture one’s imagination. Lyrically, it’s more interesting: “Back where it all began/Plotting on the drift like a smoke city dream/Every part of the endless season is bleached out/Cast aside, forgotten seeds still in the rooms of our realm/Rolling in the ugly thoughts of a soaring flower.”

‘Right The Wrongs’ opens in darker style before reverting to a heavily pop influenced remainder albeit with a solid bass rhythm leading the charge. The melody is stronger but I’m hoping for more sonic diversity as this sounds much like the previous track. ‘Got Me Worried’ offers a much stronger melody and a little more adventure, and could easily be a widely broadcast radio tune. Choruses are more interesting with multi-layered vocals well executed. But I’m still looking for more magic…but this song certainly ups the stakes.

Charlotte Gainsbourg makes a guest appearance in the next track, ‘Waking Up’, a song that screams dance and pop (I’m wondering when the rock ‘n’ roll will appear), is attractive with strong choruses and is mucho radio-friendly. ‘Free From Gravity’ delivers more audio clarity, a distinctive sound and welcome adventure. It’s a song that grabs the attention with its stuttered beat, great sound quality and strong melody. As the album progresses there’s more sonic diversity such as the instrumental, haunting and slightly threatening ‘The Ark’ with its distinctive percussive backdrop, and rockier ‘Night Of The Buffalo’. ‘Kick The Devil Out’ offers a folk-like vibe as it quietly, and quite beautifully winds its way along like a gently flowing mountain stream. The harmonies are mesmerising while the melody and performances make the song one of my favourites. ‘Glowing In The Dark’ offers another rockier and interesting interlude with a variance in pace that keeps surprising. Lyrically, it’s also on point: “Can’t see in front of me/Draw on my memory, oh/My senses taken leave/I need a space to breathe, oh.”

Am I convinced? Not 100% but I have to confess that the record has grown on me. However, it is dominated by dance beats but when it ventures out into other territories it becomes vastly more interesting and entertaining. I also get the feeling that the record will find a large number of fans.

3.5/5

http://www.djangodjango.co.uk/