Dance To The Radio - 4x12” Volume 4
Leeds label return to form
The fourth compilation from magnificent Leeds record label Dance To The Radio is as good, if not better, than the previous three '4x12”' releases. Earlier volumes have included tracks from the likes of Pulled Apart By Horses and the excellent Esben & The Witch, who supplied the eerily atmospheric track ‘Skeleton Swoon’ to Volume 3. This time Philadelphia based psychedelia is represented by Drink Up Buttercup. Shades of Animal Collective and Arcade Fire are palpable in the rich textures, tidied up with some nice poppy production from none other than Panda Bear mixer Rusty Santos. It then falls to Leeds ensemble Milk White White Teeth to follow this with their solid contribution ‘The Calendar Will Crawl’. The curious vocals evoke fellow Northerners Wild Beasts, while the beautiful instrumentation hint at great things to come from this staunch eight piece.
Electronic music rears its Krautrock-inspired head on the third track with Super Extra Bonus Party. The group actually hail from Ireland, and this remix of ‘Who Are You and What Do You Want?’ is a fat bag of sonic tricks mixed with some fabulously morose vocals. This great compilation closes with the lovely folk of Paul Thomas Saunders, who closes the sampler in fine style. The lo-fi sounds are lifted by intelligent production and masterful musicianship, making Dance To The Radio either the hottest label of the moment or some lucky sods with good ears. These days it can seem that quality UK music's in decline but judging by this refreshing blast of ecstatic aural invention it’s not dead just yet.
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