Thursday 9 June 2016

Album Review: D.A.R.K. - 'Science Agrees', Release 9 September 2016 via Cooking Vinyl


D.A.R.K. - 'Science Agrees'
Release: 9 September 2016 via Cooking Vinyl

Once upon a time The Smiths and The Cranberries met a producer and a supergroup was born. The band bio states that D.A.R.K, the band, has its roots in the collaboration formed between Andy Rourke (Smiths/ Bassist) and Olé Koretsky, after they met gigging in Washington DC. After a couple of years’ experimentation and laying down tracks in their home studios, a chance meeting between Andy and Dolores O'Riordan (The Cranberries) resulted in the singer asking him what he was working on. They began sharing tracks and the rest is history.

'Science Agrees' is the name of the album and the chemistry between the 3 artists is obvious. Dolores sings superbly on all tracks on which she shared the production with her two amigos. This is an important album with current themes, such as death on the superb ‘Steal Away’, or loss of faith and dissatisfaction with ‘Gunfight’. ‘Watch I am Bleeding’ with its classic New Wave intro would sit well on a Cure or Bauhaus album. Every track is different and explores different emotions but I have to say I am very touched by ‘Watch Out’, which follows ‘High Fashion’. I have been playing this title over and over...

It is complicated to describe the array of influences on the album insofar as it does cover anything from Sonic Experimentation and Electronica to Bowie, Cure or REM for the most obvious ones. When I was half way thru the album, the ambiance and atmosphere reminded me of the talented but unsung Irish hero Perry Blake. The musical pedigree of Andy and Dolores makes this album more than a curiosity. This is a superior collection of musical vignettes, well complemented by the DJ background and song writer’s talent from Olé.

Subtle, intelligent and extremely well produced there are different ways to approach each songs as they all have a multidimensional facet to them. It’s great to hear Dolores fully in control and her voice is especially superb on ‘Loosen The Noose’, where there is a fascinating dialogue between her and the male and suave answers that Andy provides to her interrogations.

This is innovative as far as music is concerned although it has a familiar late 1980's - early 1990's sound. It's artistically fresh and upbeat and I would encourage you to listen to 'CURVY' - the single - to get a glimpse of what is to come...

Review by Pascal Derrien



Overall: a MUST buy
If you pick 3 Only: Curvy, Watch Out I am Bleeding, Loosen The Noose
Live Test: Unknown but I bet it would be deadly :)

'Science Agrees' track listing:

01. Curvy
02. Chynamite
03. Gunfight
04. Steal You Away
05. High Fashion
06. Watch Out I'm Bleeding
07. Miles Away
08. The Moon
09. Underwater
10. Loosen The Noose




Tour dates:

Fri 16th September Dolans Warehouse, Limerick
Sat 17th September Cyprus Avenue, Cork
Mon 19th September Whelans, Dublin
Wed 21st September Bush Hall, London
Thu 22nd September Divan Du Monde, Paris
Fri 23rd September Tunnel, Milan
Sun 25th September Lido, Berlin
Tue 27th September Caracol, Madrid


www.darkofficial.co.uk

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