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Review: 'DTHPDL'
'The Future'   

-  Label: 'Song, By Toad Records'
-  Genre: 'Indie' -  Release Date: '18th April 2016'

Our Rating:
Broadly speaking, New Romantics were more concerned about the state of their hair than that of the nation. This largely explains why electro pop has reputation for being lightweight music for airheads.

Alistair J. Chivers from Edinburgh, Scotland appears to be on a mission to prove that the genre has deeper potential.

In some respects DTHPDL (i.e. Deathpodal) could be considered as the bastard sons of Duran Duran. Yet, while Simon Le Bon was given to flouncing around on a schooner showing off his tan and bouffant, one visualises Chivers looking pale and dishevelled on a night bus.

Though his voice has a swooning and plaintive lilt, it is just one component in a more menacing take on the commercial synth-pop-with-guitars formula.

Assisted by friends D.McDonald, Humdrum Jetset and Ross Taylor, this 5-track, 20 minute mini-magnum opus is more of a full-on band sound rather than a solo project.

It comes a part of Song, By Toad's Tadpole esteemed series of cassette releases which aim to showcase new bands and/or encourage existing artists to think outside the box.

Chivers' PR minions accurately describe the record as a combination of weird pop and post-punk drones. It begins with the title track which defines The Future as a dark and distorted destination rather than a bright or glossy resort.

This is evidently music for ordinary Joes not superheroes so you have to depend on Captain Average when getting to grips with the struggle between Good vs Evil. The songs bearing these names are dense and fuzzy affairs.

Another called Summer is in much the same vein and makes it clear that the artist did not have blue skies and sun-kissed beaches in mind when he wrote it.

From its title, the closing track Sparkle And Melt may sound like another crap stadium blitzer from Simple Minds but turns out to be a gloriously ragged krautrocky instrumental to round things off in a nicely distorted manner.

In this cool soundtrack to a not so bright future, shades are a fashion accessory you can live without.

DTHPDL at Tumblr
  author: Martin Raybould

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DTHPDL - The Future