STACK #164 June 2018

MUSIC REVIEWS

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Claptone Fantast The enigmatic German producer recruits friends from Kele Okereke to Austra’s Katie Selmanis for a sultry house record defined by its warmth. Apparently inspired by natural environments – from “out in the woods, out in the fields, under the moon,” according to the artist – Fantast is primed for listening under starlit skies, with the hypnotic rhythm of Cruising melting into the crystalline chimes of Wildside and the pulsing chirp of Stronger , each one syrupy and entrancing like the hug of a summer night. But although pastoral bangers are bliss, they’ll make you feel especially sore about it being months away from festival season. (Different Recordings/PIAS) Jake Cleland

The Presets HI VIZ For their 15th anniversary, electro-dance duo The Presets release their fourth studio album, their first in six years. Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes are the stars, but playing significant cameos in their aural adventure are Alison Wonderland, who pops up on Out Of Your Mind ; Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears sings the wonderfully repetitious Tools Down ; and DMA’s bring their own vibe to the delightfully dreamy Are You Here? . Frenetic and free-spirited, HI VIZ is the soundtrack to a crazy night out, where you wake up the following day, discombobulated, wondering, “What have I done? Where have I been?” All you know for

Jack River Sugar Mountain A drifter through time and space, Jack River (Holly Rankin) invites you to investigate the layers of her intimate debut album. First of all, be prepared for Her Smile to stop you in your tracks. The delicate opener is dedicated to the artist's late sister; it was during that disastrous part of Rankin’s teenage life that her alter-ego Jack River was born. Caught somewhere in between real life and

a preserved vision, it’s hard to pigeon hole Sugar Mountain into a genre. Fault Line feels like a teenage movie montage but lyrically is grief-stricken, alienated mourning. For me, it's what sums this record up the best: If you look only at SM through the sparkling, rose-coloured glasses that River has draped over the album you might not be rewarded with uncovering the confidential and vulnerable world she has created – but which she is encouraging you to discover. So High struts along Lana Del Rey vibes, Ballroom is freedom suspended in the perfect moment, and Stardust & Rust dreams of one more fleeting moment. Closer In Infinity releases her from her fears: “When you lose your fear you’re standing on a boat that can go anywhere,” she hums over an acoustic guitar, like she's sitting, reflecting, at a saloon in a black and white Western. (IOHYOU)Tim Lambert

sure is you had fun. (EMI) Jeff Jenkins

Dimmu Borgir Eonian

Ghost Prequelle

After an eight-year wait, Dimmu Borgir’s new studio album is sure to once again divide the black metal community. Purists will claim that the band have very little to do with the scene anymore, and are the beast to Nightwish’s beauty, due to the symphonic influences that drive both groups. Whatever the opinion, Dimmu Borgir stopped listening years ago, and have stayed true to their artistic vision. With Eonian , they’ve continued to push the envelope by adding orchestral embellishments, choirs and chants, to create a sound that is ambitious and bombastic. Eonian proves that Dimmu Borgir still have a lot of creative fire left in them. (Nuclear Blast/Caroline) Simon Lukic

Ghost return with another studio album to charm the mainstream. The infectious pop melodies are present, as are the Satanic overtones, creating a dichotomy that confuses many. The reason for this is content falls within the domain of heavy metal, while the hooks mirror the Top 40, making for a wicked mix. It’s the music that matters and Prequelle creates an appealing aura, one that is built on sturdy riffs, driving rhythms and catchy choruses. Ghost seem to have shed some layers off their retro rock past for a sound reminiscent of the AOR bands that dominated the airways in the '80s. Are Ghost the Alice Cooper for Generation Z? I’m not exactly sure, but Prequelle is a hell of an album either way.

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever Hope Downs When looking at vanguard Australian indie bands that are inevitably exported out to the wider world, Melbourne five-piece Rolling Blackout C.F. are nestled in their own little lane. Their sophisticated,

shimmering, guitar-driven melodies leave you wondering what Vampire Weekend would have sounded like if they spent their weekends throwing down beers in a backyard somewhere off Sydney Road. Beneath the upbeat overtones, Hope Downs features a bleaker undertone. Though, thanks to the group’s trio of songwriters/vocalists, there are no skewed perspectives of the modern Australia they observe. In fact, it’s mostly the opposite: contradiction is found in their duality without falling into an open-cut mine of cynicism. Talking Straight ’s opening lyric evokes the same nostalgia as the jangling chords that underpin the album: "All day, listened out for Jenny's old Coupé/ Midnight blue, it's faded, but she's always been true." (Ivy League)Tim Lambert

(Spinefarm/LornaVista/ Caroline) Simon Lukic

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JUNE 2018

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