One From Many « The RingMaster Review

Though UK outfit Dicepeople did not exactly turn to the darkside with their acclaimed last album, One From Many, it certainly immersed in the darkest shadows emotionally and physically whilst providing a contagion of sounds. With their new EP the duo continues to explore the volatile union of dark and light, going deeper in the domain whilst stretching their sound and imagination in another fresh and provocative breath of thick captivation.

The creation of musician, songwriter and producer Matt Brock, Dicepeople has been luring ears and emotions since 2013 with their dark electro sound. With vocalist Zmora completing the line-up, the band has released a host of attention luring, praise garnering albums and EPs with 2018’s outstanding One From Many breaching a new level in both as the band’s blend of EBM, industrial, post-punk and electro-goth ventured into those darker life enveloping shadows. Destroyer carries on where the album left off yet reveals its own new journey exposing and pushing that balance between dark and light, its sound equally more immersed in the rapacious realm of dark electro but still hosting the eager diversity which has marked the band’s music over the years.

Released through the ever compelling Syndicol Music, Destroyer takes the listener “on an intense, disturbing journey through the twisted emotional minefield of relationships that turn to the dark side” and quickly proves as naggingly infectious as it is tension soaked from the moment opener Rollercoaster erupts in ears. The festering of synth which brings it forward alone has a threat and welcoming to its coaxing, the beginnings of the song’s synth pop underlay already enticing instincts as Zmora’s distinctive tones begin to unveil the emotional darkness within. Voice and sound unite in increasing catchiness and insecurity, doubt and restlessness lining every syllable and note whilst rousing ears and body from the speakers.

The following Siren Song has a sepia colouring to its beginnings, an off-kilter string like intimation that alone is potent enough to ensure keen attention before greater apprehension and menace brews around Zmora’s succubus like confrontation. Thickly darker than its predecessor and haunting on every level, the song emerges as a thickly infectious incitement before Don’t Save Me pleas for paradoxical freedom, longing and love twisted in an anomalous romance. The track merges the instinctive catchiness of the EP’s first song and the ravening intensity of its predecessor, a fusion casting another enthralling emotive tenebrosity upon the imagination.

Both tracks are superb, eclipsing the undoubted might and caliginous beauty of the nonetheless excellent pair bookending their presence, the EPs title track closing up the release with its own riveting turbulence of magnetic electro sounds and emotional agitation.

It is an outstanding end to another simply enthralling and greedily enjoyable outing with Dicepeople, Destroyer quite simply one irresistible incitement on ears and the drama of the heart.

The Destroyer EP is out now via Syndicol Music; available @ https://dicepeople.bandcamp.com/album/destroyer-ep

https://dicepeople.com/ https://www.facebook.com/dicepeople/ https://twitter.com/dicepeople

Pete RingMaster 28/01/2020

Dicepeople has never been afraid to venture into the shadows within their electronic sounds but as already hinted by last album End Of Line; they have been increasingly tempted into the thick realm of dark electro. Now the UK band has fully embraced its lure with new full-length, One From Many, emerging with their most compelling and magnetic proposal yet.

Founded by Matt Brock (musician, songwriter and producer) back in 2013 and completed by Zmora (vocalist) and Rafael Filomeno (visual artist), London based Dicepeople have drawn increasing attention and praise across their albums and EPs to date and a live show as visually immersive as it is musically involving. As mentioned, their sound has evolved and grown by each moment and as suggested forged a new captivating plateau from within One From Many. It is borne from an eclectic array of flavours including synthpop, EBM, darkwave, and post-rock with its own identify and originality nurtured by the record. The new album openly embraces those essences also but ingredients in an aural Pandora’s Box where the imagination is exposed to “a provocative and otherworldly place, immersing you in your fears and dreams, and exposing you to the darkness and light within.”

One From Many opens with the sonic dissonance of Void and its passage through crystalline shimmers and distortions all leading to an evocatively challenging sample. Imagination provoking, it eventually leaves the listener to the waiting infectious trespass of Gone. Synths and rhythms immediately stroll through ears; each bringing a catchy lure to which Zmora adds her magnetic tones. A relatively calm affair even with its infectious presence, the track has an underlying dark edge which provokes rather than invades the imagination, a darkness offering threat emphasized by the guitar of Roger Le Guin within its overall seduction.

The following irresistible Multiplicity instantly invades the senses and psyche with its kinetic pulses, resonance shaken off every synth cast palpitation before it expands into another virulently infectious escapade this time seeing guitarist Rob Ackerman adding his prowess. Brock joins Zmora vocally as the track invades with its inimitable contagion before Celestial brings a progressive rock breeze to bear on its electronic exploration. This time Brock is joined vocally by Sara Dee, their union a perfect fit with the Celtic folk hue which also arises in the outstanding encounter which soon had the title of best track on our lips, reinforcing its grip as its electro pop tenacity infested body and spirit.

From its ethereal and physical radiance, the album’s climate becomes darker and more intense through Nitro though the inherent relish of the band to create infection spun enterprise is never far from the surface. Featuring the vocals of Darien Graham-Smith and Atashi Tada, the song courts the dark corners of thoughts in something akin to Cauldronated meets Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft but undeniably individual to its creators.

The following Addiction nags and niggles on ears with repetitious catchiness in its arsenal and discord in its nature, a restrained yet feral weave of temptation which as so many tracks just compels lustful attention, while Pigs is a web of discontent and dark intrigue within a portentous atmosphere but again one as alluring as it is tenebrous as it envelops and manipulates the senses and imagination respectively.

Even darker depths and layers of intimation are unveiled by This. With Hemiola guesting on vocals, the track is electronic smog invading and enticing with equal relish. Its cloudy cacophony devours as it seduces, its inharmonious air woven from melodic prowess as deceitful and deceptive as it is hypnotic.

Duality brings the release to a close, it too bred from a discord of noise and suggestion before parting with melodic bonds for the ever ear gripping tones of Zmora. Light and darkness once again merge in magnetic inharmony; each making vocal claims on thoughts and emotions before everything falls back into the void.

It is a truly provocative and spellbinding end to an album which with moments of real magnificence captivates and excites from beginning to end. Dicepeople are deserving of major attention, One From Many just might, should be the key to unlock that recognition.

One From Many is out now through Syndicol Music; available on all digital stores and @ https://www.syndicolmusic.com/store