Django Django – Glowing in the Dark (Deluxe Edition) (2021) [FLAC 24bit/44,1kHz]

Over the course of their extraordinarily accomplished discography to date, Django Django have constantly headed left where others have gone right. Described by The Guardian as “capable of making music that sounds close to perfection”, they are known for their genre defying eclectic sound and their new album Glowing in the Dark heralds, once again, the beginning of a thrilling new era for the band.

Glowing in the Dark has a running theme of escape: from despair, from constraints, from small town life, and even, in dreams, from the Earth. The brilliant title track and new single, for instance, soars gloriously towards the stratosphere. A track built around a sample from one of Dave Maclean’s spoken word records then plushly upholstered with Moog synths and drum loops, it is accompanied by some eye strobing visuals from rapidly ascending NYC artist and illustrator Braulio Amado.

This London quartet’s fourth album is released on a French label with an aptly-chosen English name: Because. With a title that sounds both like a gimmick and a memory, a kind of Proustian Madeleine, Glowing in the Dark recalls toys and gadgets that glow in the dark: pure magic for children… In the case of Django Django, it refers to a strange painting that drummer and producer Dave McLean found amid the dust of his parents’ cellar. A present painted by a friend from art school and given to McLean long ago. This somewhat surrealist painting depicts a red camel in a dripping desert, with a skull superimposed over the beast and a ghostly rider… McLean, painting in hand, shared his discovery with his band-mates. Inspiration had arrived: it was time to embark upon a new album. And, naturally, this painting became the cover art for this new sonic adventure.

The album is a post-modern patchwork that is returning to its 80s roots. Low-fi sounds reminiscent of old video games or other synthetic echoes mix with more organic sounds, and sometimes exotic rhythms that evoke the style of the great Talking Heads. This influence is everywhere in this album’s sound. It is clearly there on one of the most successful tracks, Kick the Devil Out with its syncopated guitar trim. But in terms of vocals, this is closer to an airy new wave sound than it is to the nervy style of Talking Heads leader David Byrne. A playful psychedelia runs through the entire record, from the introductory Spirals and its electronic arcade arpeggios to the title track, an endless swirling, dancing and hypnotic Glowing in the Dark… It is also worth noting Waking Up, a small springtime rock outing, with label-mate Charlotte Gainsbourg making a guest appearance on the mic, as evanescent as ever. But as hinted at on the next track, Django Django is Free from Gravity, and all’s well that ends well. This offers a moment of respite, in which to forget the global pandemic. – Yan C’eh

Tracklist:
Disc 1 (43:52)
1. Spirals (04:59)
2. Right the Wrongs (02:08)
3. Got Me Worried (03:36)
4. Waking Up (feat. Charlotte Gainsbourg) (03:18)
5. Free from Gravity (02:54)
6. Headrush (03:58)
7. The Ark (02:45)
8. Night of the Buffalo (03:55)
9. The World Will Turn (01:53)
10. Kick the Devil Out (03:19)
11. Glowing in the Dark (02:59)
12. Hold Fast (04:47)
13. Asking for More (03:21)

Disc 2 (20:53)
1. Shutters (03:19)
2. Everything Flows (03:52)
3. Days Are Numbered (02:51)
4. Show Me the Way (04:30)
5. Under Fire (06:21)

Download:

mqs.link_Djang0Djang0Gl0wingintheDarkDeluxeEditi0n202124441.rar