Duologue - Memex (2014)

Nešto između Radioheada i kita koji iskače iz šume.

https://soundcloud.com/duologue






Occasionally, great music can evade our expansive radar. Since the internet is updated with millions of pieces of information each day, it’s basically inevitable that something good might go unnoticed. However, most good things come around to us eventually, and that’s exactly what happened with Duologue’s latest EP, Memex. While the name Duologue implies only a two-member group, that isn’t the case here, as the band is actually made up of five people based in London, and if you happen to be a fan of shadowy electronic and soft vocals, then you’ll absolutely adore each and every one of the members’ efforts.

“Operator” prevailed as our favorite track on the EP, partially because of its incredible evolution from mellow to monumental. What begins as a smooth set of synths, percussion, guitar, and vocals progresses through fluctuating electronic layers and perfectly timed echoes, eventually building into a colossal sonic mountain. The extended crescendo is a beautiful mix between intensity and serenity, making for a segment that is absolutely awe-inspiring. “3 Traps” is slightly less epic in scale, but certainly doesn’t lack in beauty or creativity. Vocal layers, guitar elements, and electronic nuances are the song’s main components, all of which maintain a smooth vibe, and if you find yourself longing for more material after this second effort (and our other two featured below), go ahead and grab their whole EP HERE on iTunes.
- www.hillydilly.com/2014/04/duologue-memex-ep/

Among the swathe of new releases currently jostling around the 5:4 jukebox, i want to start by flagging up two interesting recent releases, both serendipitous discoveries from the panning-for-gold approach to listening that is my modus operandi these days. First is Duologue, a five-piece from London whose latest EP, Memex, has initiated a host of earworms that are continuing to burrow around my subconscious at the moment. It’s an obvious place to begin, but their sound has more than a little to do with Radiohead, & not simply due to singer Tim Digby-Bell’s ululating vocals that often sound strikingly like a less defocussed Thom Yorke. Their songs share Radiohead’s interest in playing with the multiplicity of conventions associated with rock & pop. Thus, the EP’s title track melds dream pop & autotune to strange effect, crumbling into a hard-edged coda, while ‘Operator’ bumbles along at a fair old lick, with some nicely-judged harmonic shifts in a pair of softer episodes that break up the momentum—yet overall carrying a sense of ecstatic stasis, made manifest in the song’s energetic dancefloor-infused conclusion. But third track ‘Traps’ stands out way beyond either of these, evoking music from an earlier time while conjuring up a sense of balmy humidity; this is checked by the song’s regular structural shifts where major & minor tonality are superimposed (such a simple use of dissonance but still more-or-less unheard of in music of this kind) to delicious effect. Having also spent time with the group’s first album, Song & Dance (which i also warmly recommend), ‘Traps’ is definitely their strongest song to date, mature & subtle. The EP is available in physical formats (CD/vinyl) direct from the band & in digital from all the usual places, plus you can stream it below. - 5against4.com/2014/06/22/new-releases-duologue-oy-vvm/#more-8641