Having played my You Blew It! / Dikembe split cassette to the tape’s literal death, “It’s been a long time coming” is a fitting opening line Dikembe’s new LP ‘Mediumship’. ‘Mediumship’ was released on Tiny Engines, who also released the band’s first LP, Broad Shoulders, the ‘Chicago Bowls’ EP and their split with Jazz June, so it’s safe to say the band and the label seem to be having a fruitful and happy relationship. Over the two years since their first release, Dikembe have created a unique sound that is distinct and beautiful. In contrast to their freshmen LP ‘Broad Shoulders’ – which was great, but also sort of sounded like an extension of Ryan’s and Steve’s old band, Wavelets – this new record is mellower, grungier, and fuzzier than anything they’ve ever done before.
Returning to ‘Even Better’, the record begins with a quiet guitar intro that builds with the vocals, and eventually sweeps up and kicks you out of whatever head space you were in before. With “always tired and just can’t catch a break”, ’Donuts in Six Speed’ has one of the most memorable and saddest hooks on the record. The 90s grunge influences on this record are fantastic and give it a gravity that makes a relatively short record feel like a fully-fledged journey.
Anything that can punch you in the gut like ‘Mediumship’ is probably worth listening to. This Dikembe record sounds completely focused – where ‘Broad Shoulders’ had feelings of heightened anxiety, ‘Mediumship’ is comforting while being melancholy, and is a record where the band really finds their own distinctive sound and voice. Listen to this record, see this band live, and challenge them to a round of Magic The Gathering.
JESSICA GARCIA