Dappled Cities - Zounds

Fri 31st Jul, 2009 in Music Reviews

Firstly, Zounds’ lead single The Price is hardly an indicator of the album as a whole. While the aforementioned track and albums A Smile and Granddance both focused on positivity, Zounds is a dark turn for Dappled Cities. Indeed, this isn’t the only movement in the new album. Dappled Cities have crafted an LP that explores new emotional ground, while taking in a whole new set of inspired musical choices.

This is the first record to fully incorporate keyboardist Ned Cooke – and it shows. Soaring track The Night Is Young At Heart has the dizzying jingle of the synthesiser take the place of what would usually be the rhythm guitar. Likewise, the underlying fuzz during Miniature Alas epitomises the more danceable, electronic sound that many of the tracks go for. Almost every track is laced with Cooke’s welcomed presence, adding a new dimension to Dappled Cities. The drumming style has also changed greatly, with Alan Kumpulainen taking on a more mechanical style than his predecessor Hugh Boyce.

When Dave Rennick sings, “We don’t need choir in our voice/We don’t need puzzle in our face/Or feelings in our face re-mapped”, it alludes to the album’s direction as a whole. The Dappled Cities sound has been built around short and sweet melodic pop – from the post-rock twee of Peach to the rousing sing-along of Holy Chord. Zounds takes a more organic approach; allowing songs to ebb and flow rather than piling up towards a larger goal.

The strings on the John Lennon-honouring Don’t Stop There – coupled with the simple, direct lyrical delivery of Tim Derricourt – demonstrates how compelling the band can be without reaching a noticeable crescendo. Rightfully so, Zounds is also their longest album to date, clocking in twelve minutes longer than their past efforts.

When Zounds is judged on its own terms, what stands out is the emotional depth. Suddenly, the pop stereotypes associated with Shins-esque twee or accessible electronica like Animal Collective have disappeared. In its place is a sense of maturity and direction. The harmonious Answer is Zero offsets the falsetto of Rennick with an unsettling synth hook, cradling the listener in a variety of evocative musical structures. Even the most – œOld Dappled’-sounding tracks, Apart and single The Price, benefit from their more knowledgeable outlook.

While this is disappointing on one front – gone is the jovial nature that once enlivened their music – it’s rewarding on a larger scope. Zounds is the perfect example of a band taking what’s great about their sound and value-adding until it offers a whole new experience. After their excellent work on Granddance, Dappled Cities have given us something even greater with Zounds.

Zounds is out August 15th on Speak n Spell Records. Pre-order the album here. Check out the Dappled Cities album launch tour dates.