After one of the longer waits for new material from Dappled Cities, it’s finally over: the Sydney indie-pop outfit are back with ||||| (Five), their fifth studio album.
||||| is everything you’d expect from the innovative Dappled Cities, and more – it seems the time out has given them the space they needed to create a crisp and clean cut release. ||||| is a drone of feel-good beats and eclectic electronica that underline a more mature take on both life and music.
Standout track ‘Stone Men’ shuffles along with just that message – life and all its happenings are captured with a catchy buzz and an interesting layering of vocal harmonies, plus zapping strings that make for a fine and festive groove.
There’s a certain something standing in the way of this groove remaining true throughout the album; after ‘Know Your History’, the rhythms become less infectious and it’s easy to zone out.
But that’s not to say Dappled Cities have lost direction. Indeed, after a stellar 18-year career and counting, they remain the group Sydney musicians look to for guidance in crafting a continually relevant sound. It’s not indie-pop, strictly speaking – not any more – but it works.
||||| is out now through Chugg/MGM.
