HIGHS - Dazzle Camouflage

Wer mit „Gameshow“, dem dritten Album von Two Door Cinema Club, nicht glücklich ist (und das dürften eigentlich alle sein, denen „Tourist History“ gefallen hat), dem sei „Dazzle Camouflage“ empfohlen.

HIGHS sind ein kanadisches Quartett, bestehend aus Doug Haynes, Karrie Douglas, Joel Harrower und Paul Vroom, das den „tropical pop sounds“ seiner Anfangstage ein gutes Stück hinter sich gelassen und sich mit Hilfe des Produzenten Luke Smith (Foals, Depeche Mode) in Richtung tanzbaren Indiepop (mit perlenden Gitarrenläufen und melodischem Harmoniegesang von Doug und Karrie) zwischen Two Door Cinema Club, Foals und The Drums entwickelt. 

Das Debütalbum „Dazzle Camouflage“ verdient für sein Plattencover einen Extrapunkt, ist im April bereits in Kanada erschienen und nun auch in Deutschland käuflich zu haben.

Dazzle Camouflage begins with “I Do, Do You?” concise vocals accompanied by meticulously placed instrumentation. The verse opens up into multiple distinct musical lines, the bass and guitar simultaneously line up and weave around each other, a tapestry of sonic smoke, musical incense soaring heavenward. The snare locks and fills in the groove. The drum part is kinetic and tasteful, busy without pretentions, if Keith Moon played at a quieter dynamic level.
Guitar intros, such as on “Closetalkers” and “Gold Teeth”, are reminiscent of The Smiths’ Johnny Marr, if he played lead guitar for the Cure.
The guitar lines throughout the album are clear and precisely played. Touches of echo, and the wisely placed standalone held chord, turn Haynes and Harrower into guitar gunslingers in a polite standoff, strong presences that are never over bearing.
The use of clear bass lines and pedaled keyboards create driving lines juxtaposed with warm, keyboard sounds like distant calls, familiar longed-for voices.
There is treble timbre to the vocals, nicely settled high range voices with a comforting warmth. Harmonies are tasteful and well-place as Haynes, Douglas and Harrower masterfully blend their distinct voices to create a harmonious vocal lines, beautiful arranged and welcoming. Moments of Regina-based Rah Rah with pure vocal interpretation.
(...)
With strong hooks and mature musicianship, HIGHS songwriting and arrangements are strong enough to appease the upper echelon of music snobs and causal listeners alike.
A perfect blend of modern art pop and the 1980s / 1990s alternative scene, HIGHS Dazzle Camouflage is a musical nostalgic nod with adventurous revamped sensibilities. This album is pure alt pop perfection.
(Canadian Beats)

HIGHS in Deutschland:

14.12.16 Köln, Blue Shell
15.12.16 Frankfurt, Zoom
16.1.2.16 Hamburg, Stra Stube
18.12.16 Berlin, Auster Club