1.5/5 stars
Dark Red is like the yo-yo shows you used to see at school. At first it’s kind of impressive, until you realise the whole schtick’s pretty limited and you’re pretty sure you’ve seen these tricks before.
Shlohmo has attempted to break away from the softer sounds of his debut, but fails to grab attention with his new oeuvre.
It’s a disappointing effort, as the electronic music producer had been releasing a steady stream of increasingly promising EPs. Dreamy keys and rich textures characterised his early work, drawing influences from hip hop and DnB without borrowing too much from either.
Instead of continuing to perfect the melancholic style he had been developing, Dark Red is filled with industrial drums and harsh guitar licks. Eerie synths are used to excess and seem uninspired. While there are hints of the old, they get drowned out among showy and derivative beats. Shlohmo’s talent for layered backgrounds and melody occasionally shines through, but it’s not enough to rescue the lacklustre songs.
This is definitely a darker place for Shlohmo. Taking it there may have been the next step for a man too comfortable with his sound, but it means it’s going to take a few more EPs before he hits his groove again.
