Albums
Everything that’s great and awful about Brooklyn hipsterism is here. There’s no question that Dirty Projectors are willing to experiment, and are sincere about their performance: on this, their sixth album, you can hear everything from West African guitars to early 2000s r’n’b, fidgety electronica to Led Zeppelin-style classic rock, and each element is delivered with clear understanding of how it works. There’s a sensuousness, too, to the sounds, and to Amber Coffmann’s voice, which also featured on Rusko and Major Lazer tunes. But oh god, why do they have to show how clever they are all the time? When they settle into a groove, as on the John Lennon-ish ‘Impregnable Question’ or the Beck-like title track, their songwriting shines – but when they throw one kooky idea after another at a track it feels more like showing off than real skill. Sometimes brilliant, often infuriating, it’s a must-check nonetheless.
File under Brooklyn eclectica
Download ‘Swing Lo Magellan’, ‘Dance For You’
Like this? Try Gang Gang Dance ‘Eye Contact’ (4AD)
