Anyone familiar with ††† vocalist Chino Moreno’s other musical endeavours won’t find any trouble adjusting to the electronic driven sound on the trio’s long awaited debut full-length. Fundamentally, the record dials down the heavier moments on more recent Deftones ventures, acting as an amped up take on Moreno’s 2005 side-project Team Sleep.
Yet, to classify ‘†††’ as a collection of the quieter moments on the most recent Deftones record – ‘Koi No Yokan’ – would be unjustifiable. Together with Chuck Doom and Far guitarist, long-time friend and collaborator Shaun Lopez, the threesome have pulled together various influences veiled under the electronic throw. In truth, their eponymous album is a far more complex beast, crammed full of musical nuisances and consistently switching between ominous darkwave tones and more mainstream electronica.
Album opener ‘†his Is A †rick’ and the likes of ‘Op†ion’ are based around thunderous drum beats, predominantly pitching Moreno’s vocals low to amplify the heavy density of the sound. ‘Purien†’ and the band’s most recent single ‘†he Epilogue’ elevate the vocal register, and with it the electronic fuelled melodies which draw upon pop and RnB conventions.
The familiarity of the vocals make it neigh-on impossible to avoid comparisons with Deftones, yet †††’s similarities start and end with the drawn out soundscapes. The guitars that lead Moreno’s more recognised project are replaced by electronic drum patterns, while the often celestial elongated melodies fall to the back. The result is punchy and immediate, yet equally reserved and beautiful – allowing the melody to be led almost entirely by the vocals.
Sharing its superficial imagine with witch house – a musical style dominated by industrial noise and skewed hip-hop – ‘†††’ is far too multi-layered to adhere to that style’s convention. Rather than focusing on minimalist structures, the record wraps itself around the listener. Despite its length, it’s possible to be fully immersed in the sound, right through until the closing echoed beats on ‘Dea†h Bell’.
‘†††’ may only include five new tracks that haven’t featured on the band’s previous EPs, however as a collection of mesmerising electronic masterpieces, the record is impeccable. Each individual musical building block is audible yet forms a coherent sound bloated by emotion. Few similar albums will emerge, and none will surpass it for sheer style. Sexy and ominous, ‘†††’ is a dazzling piece of work.
BEN TIPPLE