HDLSS: Selections from Dumb – Socially conscious pop from smart NY heads

Following an extended hiatus, the second album from New York-based duo HDLSS (that’s Headless with the vowels gone Awol) is a sumptuously detailed whirlwind of claustrophobic, socially conscious and defiant pop. Tackling topics ranging from misguided cultural appropriation to political and personal apathy, Far and Wolfy (of south Asian and Irish extraction respectively) outline their insider knowledge from outsider perspectives.

It’s a lucky dip of post-hip-hop, glitch, doo-wop, smart samples and dreamy electro-pop where the lyrical weight is occasionally subsumed by the extravagant, complex production.

The Steve Reich-referencing and Toni Morrison-sampling opener Colonizer should whet the appetite, and the syncopated beats and ballsy brass of Bystander Effect will reel you in and push you deeper. Highly recommended.

[ hdlssmusic.com ]