Review Summary: escapism
There's something about Dems music which slows down time and allows me to breathe freely as if coming up for air from being underwater for hours. When I first heard the albums first track "Sinking in the Sorry", I had spent a week overcome with stress, drifting to and fro various commitments like I was sleepwalking. I was in my room, headphones in, and holy *** that first track hooked me. It begins with luscious piano chords and low-fi swirling bass before ice cool synth cuts through in a piercing staccato which falls away as Dan Moss' haunting vocals come in which are akin to the soulful musings of How To Dress Well.
The album has a spacious feel to it, which allows for the vocals to naturally take the forefront. The backing is oft delicate and intricate comprising of only synth, deep bass and subdued drum beats which the listener can get lost in, as I did, and find relaxation within. The soundscapes the band create are large and echoey and feel almost glacial which is what makes the album so relaxing. There isn't anything busy to detract from the careful tempo orchestrated by the percussion and so nothing to distract the listener from their thoughts. This is an album for reflection and clarity of thought, best listened to in solitude and perfect when there is a need to step away from life’s stresses.
Moss' falsetto is calming like breeze through an open window. Like mentioned before, similarities can be drawn between his voice and others within the genre such as How To Dress Well and James Blake. That said, the similarity mainly lies in the quality and talent, as there is vulnerability in Moss' heart-on-sleeve vocal delivery, which is uncommon with a lot of modern soulful vocalists who sing with confidence and swagger.
The title track of the album is perhaps the best song, namely, due to how enjoyable the chorus is. It is certainly the catchiest, whilst still conforming to the sombre feel of the rest of the album. The drumbeat, primarily snare, is glitchy and intricate and that makes up the majority of the backing, paired only with muted guitar and glistening brass.
This is certainly a very impressive debut from a band that has established a beautiful sound without feeling the need to cram a song with backing vocals and layers. The music is as bare and yearning as the vocals and it makes for perfect escapism.
