This time out, Gang Gang Dance really means
"dance." The experimental group has gotten down before, but those arty rhythms
and percussive thumps often drifted into ethereal atmospherics, taking the vibe
with them. With newfound focus, the band keeps the motion going on Saint
Dymphna,
to the point where tracks such as "House Jam" even—gasp—could soundtrack a high-end clothing store.
Fans, don't get dismayed: Polyrhythmic noise-textures still pinball from
culture to culture (one minute, Japanese instrumentation, the next, Brazilian
guitar), drum freak-outs still raise a ruckus, and ambient electronica still
lends a psychedelic sparkle. But Saint Dymphna is less The Beatles'
"Revolution 9" (well, okay, except on "Inners Pace") and more Bob Marley's
"Revolution"; without losing its avant-garde, the album always has a scratchy
reggaeton beat or a frenetic first foray into rap ("Princes") waiting in the
wings. Howling with hyperactivity or recalling Low's laziest electronic slosh
on "Vacuum," Saint Dymphna is no easier to categorize than any other GGD
record, but it is
easier to groove to.