Eye Contact 4AD****
It's an excellent time for pop oddballs. Gang Gang Dance's 2008 album, Saint Dymphna, was an indication that they had the wherewithal to move, survive and thrive beyond the underground. In some ways Eye Contactis a similar beast, with its rich palette of colourful, tribal grooves, kaleidoscopic ambience and widescreen prog-pop hooks. But Gang Gang Dance are keen to maintain a very distinct identity – comparisons to Animal Collective are about to become an endangered species. What makes Eye Contactsuch an arresting listen is that anything goes. The band swing with audacious aplomb from skittery dance-floor beats to classic rock wig-outs, with Lizzi Bougatsos as the ethereal vocal presence pushing the collective onwards and upwards. Chinese Highis where it all comes gloriously together, but you'll also find much to admire as you emerge woozy and dazed from Mindkillaand Romance Layers.See ganggangdance.com
Download tracks: Chinese High, Mindkilla, Glass Jar
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