Yes Is More

By: Dantom Eeprom
Label: Infine Music
Written by: alx_glen
Rating: 9/10


Ever since hearing Danton Eeprom’s To the Bone, I have been keeping the keenest of ears out for all releases. With his bleepy interpretation of Simian Mobile Disco’s Wooden sending him up the popularity scales, he has since remixed the likes of Royksöpp and Radio Slave attracting the long beady eye of the music industry. So when this - his debut album – surfaces, it’s difficult to be anything but be intrigued and excited about what we might find.
 
The album kicks off with Thanks for Nothing, a brilliantly built exercise in modern synth pop. With a great vocal, upbeat plodding, hand claps and spaced out synths, this is a solid and confident album opener. With undertones of Talking Heads and Yuksek, it is the perfect way to whet your whistle. Second track Give Me Pain starts with an accordion reminiscent of the first track from Morgan Packard's great (and little-known) Airships Fill the Sky LP. The beat is deep, organic and slow-burning and finds a strange connection with Radiohead’s There There. Another interesting vocal, this time more Friendly Fires than David Byrne, it works perfectly over the shuffling and contorting beat. Bringing in blips, beeps and a real drum kit and horn section is an inspired touch.
 
This is an album that has had blood, sweat and tears poured into it and it shows through meticulous attention to detail, restraint and dedication. Stilettos Rising and Tight drop down into deeper and in less friendly territory. Tight starts well but loses some of the sparkle from the first few tracks. Desire No More brings the vocals back, this time in the form of a deep ethereal voice backed by a almost psychedelic trip of warm, mesmerising synths and gentle beat, the later inclusion of a harmonica shows the length and depth in which this album has been created, a fantastic album track.
 
The brilliantly titled Confessions of an Opium Eater ups the ante and focuses the listener’s attention again. With a ghostly synth and rolling bass (real bass guitar) this is the first real club styled track. Crashing drums lead to a high-pitched break before kicking in with an understated high hat shuffle. The Femine Man starts with an odd, breathy vocal describing a state of sexuality crisis. The music is minimalist and haunting chimes from The Exorcist combine with a dark kick and slumberous low frequency growl. This album twists and turns but retains a scale of tone and sound which creates a form of cohesion despite its mutating from more pop-based, classic songs to deep, sometimes dubby compelling insights.
 
LostinMusic is indeed what you think it is - a cover of Sister Sledges' seminal and utterly classic hit. Definitely an original take, this track takes a bit of work to get used to. Au Revoir Simone feature on the vocal alongside Danton himself. The music filters the originals structure through synthesisers to create a more measured and atmospheric tune. If I’m honest, this doesn’t do it for me; it’s a brave and gutsy take on an instantly recognisable disco classic but it doesn’t have the wild, heart shudderingly passionate vocal delivery that made the original so good.
 
The album ends all warm and fuzzy with VividLove gently wandering with a strong influence from French auteurs Air. What’s A Balloon But A Bag Of Air begins with a whimsical guitar riff, Sigur Ros-styled strings, bass and clinky top end. Sounding like the product of 3 months in a correctional facilty with nothing but the aforementioned's album Takk, this is a mellow and uplifting end to the album. Showing a diversity in the music he can create, Dantom Eeeprom has created and album that shifts in many different directions whilst retaining a overall sense of ownership. An interesting and compelling listen this is a refreshing album that has a little more depth than your average dance record.