Somewhere in the realm of post-modern artistic expression, the avant garde, and utter chaos, lurks a unique beast: Dan Deacon – a formally educated, noise-rock electronic artist, a manipulator of both sounds and minds. And somewhere in the landscape of Radiohead, Animal Collective, and the early works of Architecture in Helsinki, lies Deacon’s latest creation: “Bromst.”
“Bromst” is undoubtedly a step forward for Deacon, its reach is broader, its scope grander, and its sound much more collected than his previous work “Spiderman of the Rings.”
“Spiderman of the Rings” was a helter-skelter, ADD-paced musical collage, marked by cheap sound effects and repetitive (and sometimes obnoxious) beat cycles, but somehow it all worked. “Bromst” on the other hand — though not entirely different — feels less tacky, less cheap and more serious, which will only serve to broaden Deacon’s appeal.
This is not to say that “Bromst” is any less difficult than its predecessor- its content will certainly weed out any casual listeners, but those who persevere through the manic jungle of complexity that is the album, will be handsomely rewarded with a record that is endlessly satisfying and lacks almost nothing. Astonishingly enough, “Bromst” reveals that Deacon is still transforming, maturing, and continuing to refine his near-infinite collection of musical talents.
Unlike most albums, “Bromst” does not sag at any point, each song is strong and appropriately positioned. The backbone of the album is the tempo-jumping track “Snookered,” which in many ways encompasses all that “Bromst” has to offer, from an endless array of hooks to vast expanses of suspense, it’s all here. Then again, it’s hard to imagine that any one song could carry the weight of this record. After all, every track efficiently contributes to the overall effect of the album, making it difficult to imagine “Bromst” as anything other than one, solid un-fragmented score.
I could write about all that is brilliant with “Bromst” for pages, unfortunately, this isn’t to say that the album leaves nothing to be desired. “Bromst” still suffers from some of the same mistakes made in “Spiderman of the Rings.” The use of ridiculously layered and overly complex rhythms can at times feel monotonous, and it’s not hard to imagine how this could exhaust even the most patient of listeners. Furthermore, the purposeful use of electronic junk-sounding noise effects in some places creates a dry feel, often leaving the listener hoping for a more organic and fluid like experience (think “Kid A”).
Despite “Bromst’s” epic nature, you get the sense that Dan Deacon still has more to offer, even more tricks up his sleeve, and that he may have only begun to tap the powder-keg that is his potential. If “Bromst” tells us one thing, it’s that the horizon, for Deacon, holds with it a vast collection of great records. Needless to say, “Bromst” in its own right is nearly a masterpiece, but, as said earlier, you get the sense that Deacon’s opus is still right around the corner.
Deacon closes the album with the upbeat powerhouse “Get Older,” which serves to remind the listener of one thing: “Bromst” is something to be excited about. After all, albums of this caliber come along only so often.
Final Rating: 9.4
