Australia has the particular ability to create things lovely and drastic and just above the edge of destruction. Take the tragic beauty of the Outback, for example, or the impossible tangle of muscle that constitutes kangaroos or Mel Gibson. Among this number—but maybe not as well known as its drunk raving countryman—is Dappled Cities. Hailing from the ‘burbs of Sydney, this Aussie posse presents their third full-length album, Zounds. Sitting somewhere between experimental indie rock and electro-pop, the band crafts a destructive and striking album, a hike for the musically stouthearted.
The opener, “Hold Your Back,” is audible destruction at a techno dance party. Lots of synthesizers eventually rise from the morose rubble to create a kind of digital harmony, and then the vocals swoop in like some kind of tragic hero, worn, exhausted and tainted with mechanics. Ambient sounds come into support the vocal work, and somewhere in the background drumsticks clack in dire need against the rim of the skins. This is the Shins' misanthropic dream. It pushes itself into more of a destructive shoegazer sound; something ambient and soulful yet still on the brink of total annihilation. And that brink is toyed with throughout the album, some songs coming closer to the line than others. “The Night Is Young At Heart” toes the line, starting innocently enough with the Killers sound funneled through the 80’s. But this is randomly punched by vocals intermittently breaking into screams of almost frustration, which is more than a little off-putting.
The rest of the album shies away from the very brink of desecration but stays true to style, showcasing layers of synth sounds, crunching guitars, snapping drums and wavering, Bowie-like vocals all smashed up together. Songs like “Wooden Ships” begin suspiciously like the remains of a NES video game soundtrack. And then the vocals break in, feeling much like Bowie during the “Labyrinth” era. You can almost see the glitter from his overdone eyebrows. “Don’t Stop There,” while it sounds like a Schoolhouse Rock reject song, actually makes for a nice little weeping heart track for the album. The vocals, back in the Bowie camp, sound distant, unattached. Slow, heavy drum beats drag along his wounded heart, and a lovely shattering mix of instruments and harmonizing voices create the sound of loneliness.
But it’s not all glitz and David B. impersonations. Try “Answer is Zero” which opens with strong rhythms that slide against an industrial floor. This enjoys the magic of synthesizers with a steady, heavier voice, feeling like the lead singer of Snow Patrol were going through Metric’s closet. And “Middle People” deserves an honorable mention; starting with all kinds of fun technological sounds and vocal caterwauling, with drums punching and popping in the background along with steady keyboards. It’s a melancholy, aimless wandering kind of song. There feels to be no distinct parts to grab hold of, feel where you are in the song. It could go on forever or abruptly cease to exist and either option is fine.
The album caps with “Stepshadows,” a fantastic departure from everything known so far. It starts with very simple tambourine shakin’ and an as-yet-unheard-of acoustic guitar. Electric guitars drop in, bumping along with country plunking. Vocals build momentum; he sounds distressed and heavy-hearted, like he’s running towards possible disaster or fortune, whichever, and you’re along for the ride. It’s got a very modern feel, a wonderful, starry night hope that gathers inspiration around its country-western-meets-indie-shoegazer sound and distributes it without intent or purpose but with the greatest effect.
Zounds is, in a word, eclectic. It’s destructive, it’s lilting and lovely, it’s 80’s pop and current indie rock. It’s gracefully harmonic one minute, and the next track has you wondering what the hell you’re listening to. It’s a shifting landscape, a sound redub of Dappled Cities home turf. This is a fun listen for the adventurer within; if that’s not you, you might want to stick with something a little more home-grown.
Artist:
www.dappledcitiesfly.com
myspace.com/dappledcities
Download:
Dappled Cities – "The Price" – [mp3]
Album:
Zounds is out now. Buy it on Amazon.
