Gang Gang Dance - Saint Dymphna
(Warp) CD & LP
So far, these NY hipsters have tap danced in the chasm between spaced-out tribal-psych meanderings & arty synthetic pop. But on Saint Dymphna, Gang Gang Dance congeal around their fondness for hip-hop, house & Eno with a fizzy, fresh outcome. The new material twinkles in technicolour, devouring stuttering grime beats, phasing synths, Animal Collective manic sound environments & striking melodicism. Just skip directly to “Prince” to have your mind blown: UK grime MC Tinchy Stryder creeps out of a Pink Floyd-esque cloud of psychadelia & faster than you can say Anti-Pop Consortium, you’ve got yourself one of 2008s weirdest/catchiest hip-hop tracks. “Inners Pace” is part loping dubstep (think Burial in a k-hole) & part electro-drum machine workout. “House Jam” feels like Kate Bush fighting with Digitalism. But make no mistake: Gang Gang Dance feel no gravity toward the past; Dymphna is the patron saint of hybrid future-pop. Totally, completely, utterly fresh.