Gang Gang Dance Gets Saintly In Oct.

Whoah – “an even dancier, inclusive direction that continues to emphasize the ritualistic elements of their music while upping the transcendent aspects” !

By Blurt Staff

This just in over the BLURT transom… overcaffeinated though it may be (watch those superlatives, kids!), it pretty much sums things up for GGD, so why mess with it? Cheers!

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Named after the patron saint of outsiders, taboo subject matter and general disorder, Gang Gang Dance have completed Saint Dymphna - a stunning follow-up to the critically acclaimed God’s Money.  The album is set for release Oct 21, 2008 on The Social Registry in North America (and in the UK, Europe and Australia on Warp). Finally! After three years of complex and sporadic recording, complete with jetsetting, breakdowns, an acclaimed Whitney Biennial appearance, plus the Retina Riddim DVD+CD and RAWWAR EP, the band have yielded a true masterpiece to add to its canon. We couldn’t be happier to throw this one out and let the world become enamored again.

If you’ve seen a Gang Gang Dance show since 2005, you know that Lizzi Bougatsos, Brian Degraw, Tim Dewit  and Josh Diamond have taken an even dancier, inclusive direction that continues to emphasize the ritualistic elements of their music while upping the transcendent aspects. This is apparent (times ten) on Saint Dymphna. The record opens with “Bebey” – a preview of coming attractions that is like an organic, eastern Aphex Twin with spinning percussion, face-fuzz ambient textures and oral rebirth. The track melts into “First Communion,” which is a great representation of the new, more-accessible-than-ever version of the band. After a dreamy introduction, the unit pummels in with a truly global punch – we’re talking Brazilian guitars, punk snarl on the vocals and a beat that resembles the omnipresent sound of reggaeton flooding the NYC streets during summer months.

“Blue Nile” touches on 80s techno, trip-hop, interstellar travel and Hot 97 R&B without really sounding like any of those things. “Princes” is the real shocker of the bunch. The first appearance of London-based MC Tinchy Stryder and his “Oh shit! Gang Gang!” toast will cause more than a few moments of “Did I accidentally switch records?” before the conclusion that this stuff is smashing apart genre conventions in a way that few bands have been willing to experiment with.  The song plays like the weirdest Grime track (or the weirdest Gang Gang Dance track for that matter) you’ve ever heard. Either way, it re-emphasizes the group’s club potential, experimental success and beyond all, true understanding of good music no matter what label critics decide to obsess over on a given day.

The arc and trajectory on which Gang Gang Dance has propelled themselves since their inception at the turn of the century can only be described in terms of evolution. Four individuals with strong ties to the art community and almost boundless creative energy orienting themselves into a musical collaboration, the direction of which has been almost as unpredictable as it is focused. Their ambition and individuality did not go unnoticed through 2007 as they were approached by The Whitney Museum of Contemporary Art to be included in their 2008 biennial, an offer rarely extended to musicians. For the exhibition, the four again chose to incorporate visual manipulation into their performance; utilizing film projections, a number of participants dressed in ceremonial masks – all elements combining to create a spectacle that was by all accounts breathtaking.

Like God’s Money, Saint Dymphna is envisioned as a LP experience, although each track is more than strong enough to stand alone. The production is pristine cinematic headphone candy with 70s Eno intricacy and 00s Timbaland immediacy that will firmly hold your attention while Gang Gang Dance continue to push things forward.  The album will be preceded by the Single “House Jam” that is backed with a remix of the track by Hot Chip, and accompanied by a free digital download of a remix by XXXChange. Highly recommended and well worth the wait!

Live Dates:

July 24th at M Room in Philadelphia, PA

July 26th at Bowery Ballroom in NYC

July 27th at Middle East in Cambridge, MA

Aug 16 at Central Park Summerstage in NYC

Track Listing:

HOLY COMMUNION (3.05)
BLUE NILE (3.10)
VACUUM (4.13)
PRINCES (4.26)
INNERS PACE (4.16)
AFOOT (3.25)
HOUSE JAM (4.45)
INTERLUDE (NO KNOWN HOME) (1.16)
DESERT STORM (5.10)
DUST (5.30)

[Photo Credit: Aylin]