Shop our Big Takeover store for back issues, t-shirts & CDs
Follow The Big Takeover
Imagine if there was a band that took everything that was good about pop music past and polished it for today’s audience. Imagine if there was a band that understood that there is a sweet spot between rock energy and pop infectiousness. Imagine if there was a band who was blind to sonic demarcations, or at least was aware of them and just chose to ignore them. Imagine if a band could sound offbeat and mainstream, cultish and commercial at the same time. Well, my friends, the band you have in mind actually exists, and they are called d’Lakes.
And despite all of those contradictions and dichotomies that I have just described, Heaven Is A Silent Disco the band’s sophomore album, is nothing less than direct, accessible, and a joy to behold. Remember when pop was flamboyant, otherworldy, glamorous, and sophisticated before all the singer-songwriters with their guest rappers and dance routines took over? d’Lakes does. And over twelve amazing and immediate songs, all of which could be dropped as singles without a worry, this Minneapolis outfit prove just that.
And if at one end of the spectrum, you find a song like the opener, “Dare To Be Bogus,” leaning in heavily towards rock guitars and thunderous beats, admittedly while sprinkling the song with shimmering synths, at the other, you have songs such as “Stasis On Track” which is about as pop, and more than a little bit psychedelic, as you can get. And between these, you have songs like “Pendulum of Appreciation,” which blend 80s pop grooves with 90s indie moves and the shimmering 60s-infused bubblegum pop of “Electric Spring.”
It’s a cornucopia of modern pop, but modern pop which has studied, learned from, and incorporated the music of those that have gone before. More than that, it’s a fantastic set of songs and a tangible reminder of how creative and sonically highbrow modern pop can be if only it wanted it enough. Fingers crossed, more than a few of their number take d’Lakes in general and Heaven Is A Silent Disco in particular, as a challenge and a benchmark to aim for. Game on!
