Depending on whom you ask and/or where you are in the world, shoegaze is either in a semi-comatose holding pattern or simply dead. Even with the recent reunions of torch-bearers My Bloody Valentine and Swervedriver, the scene just isn’t as lively as it was twenty years ago. This reality, it seems, hasn’t stopped Danish quartet Dorias Baracca from putting out Handsome Melting Point EP, one of the most stunning shoegaze releases in the genre’s short history.
These four teenagers (!) essentially do one thing throughout Point but, like any worthwhile group of shoegazers, they do it exceptionally well. The shimmering guitar tone, the hallmark of shoegaze, is painted all over the songwriting here. That said, the band doesn’t try to be a clone of MBV, Slowdive or Swervedriver. Instead, DB smartly takes elements from the ‘big three’ and mashes them together into one, giant cacophony of (beautiful) noise. The band borrows the cynical nature of Swervedriver, the modern brit-pop-meets-indie-rock flavor of Slowdive and the lush, wall-of-guitar sonics of MBV.
Whether intentional or not, the eleven-minute ‘Birthday’ is a microcosm of the EP, as well as its centerpiece. As the focus of Point, the sprawling character of the song represents all three aforementioned components of the band: One guitar swirls the melody around vocalist/guitarist Buster (judging by the band’s MySpace page, the members are on a first name-only basis, like Cher and Madonna) in an apparent attempt to consume his haunting voice as he concludes, “Happy birthday?/ Not for me,” while the other blankets the entire song with multi-tracked white wash. Sure, the song doesn’t have to be eleven minutes. Hell, none of the four songs here have to be as long as they are. But that’s not the point. ‘Birthday’ sounds the way it does and lasts as long as it does because the music is an extension of the emotions being conveyed. The song drones on and on because DB wants you to feel the sadness and angst experienced when the band wrote and recorded it.
As anxiety-ridden and deliberately protracted the songwriting is, Dorias Baracca’s Handsome Melting Point EP is one of the most promising releases in years. Considering the fact that this foursome consists of minors, it’s odd to realize the scene these guys so worship was already past its prime before they were born. Weighing this fact, though, one must also realize that DB has what could be a long-lasting and perhaps even an influential career in ‘nu-gaze’ ahead of it. Let’s just hope these guys don’t end up making an album that (nearly) bankrupts their label and then completely lose their shit.
Buy the EP on Amazon | [itunes link="http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/the-only-touch/id344210648?uo=4" title="Dorias_Baracca-Handsome_Melting_Point_-_EP_(Album)" text="iTunes"] | Rhythm Online
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shoegaze is dead? wut? It’s the most alive it’s been since 1991 – more, in fact. I’ve never seen seen this many shoegaze bands on the scene at the same time. I’m willing to major there are more out and about now than there were in the 1990s, not counting the dinosaurs (sorry, Mr. Shields, but you know I love you).
It probably was dead a few years ago, but it’s uncharacteristically wide-eyed and staring you in the face these days :)
That said, I hadn’t heard of these guys in the course of my shoegaze studies so will try to track them down because I’m curioused.
The EP is awesome! Check out the video that made me an instant fan of these kids! http://vimeo.com/8746084
Youre absoltely right about Birthday.