Dan Deacon’s been pretty busy since the 2007 release of Spiderman of the Rings, an ambitious, sprawling album full of electronic blips and inhumanly fast drum machines that brought him widespread attention from the music world. The unexpected success brought attention to Wham City, the music and art collective that calls Baltimore its home.
Spiderman of the Rings got a lot right. The songs were all infinitely danceable, and on the epic 12-minute long anthem “Wham City,” Deacon hit a homerun with a perfect combination of electronic keyboards and effects pedals, accompanied by a shouting chorus of those associated with the collective. However, the album as a whole had some difficulty keeping the listener’s attention without wearing them down with song after song of constant energy.
Mr. Deacon has come a long way since then, going from Spiderman’s infinitely danceable beats to experimental pieces for sine waves and signal generators. March sees the release of Deacon’s latest album, Bromst, which sees the Baltimore resident go into a darker, more mature direction. Where Spiderman of the Rings could easily be the soundtrack for a dance party, Bromst focuses more on Deacon’s compositional talents, although his trademark unlimited energy is still in full force on this effort.
The opener, “Red F,” starts off with a distorted drone and quickly adds on keyboards and racing drum machine, building up over four and a half minutes into a swirling mass of electronic dance-noise. “Of the Mountains,” arguably the best cut on the entire album, features xylophone, tribal drums and a primal chant from a large chorus, a trick that remains from Spiderman.
“Woof Woof” is another solid track that features vocals that sound like Alvin & the Chipmunks run through a meat grinder, and I mean that in a good way. Bromst marks the first time Deacon has used live drums in his music, and on no track is this better utilized than on the last song, “Get Older,” an epic closer that shows the bold new direction in which Deacon is heading.
Bromst is another in a line of quality Dan Deacon releases, and an offering that may sway those not converted by Spiderman of the Rings. Deacon, along with his Wham City cohorts, is slowly bringing the energy and fun back to independent music, while maturing as a serious musical artist at the same time.