The band’s fourth album includes some of their most intriguing compositions. If only they’d fully gone for it…
In the world of DMA, the mission is simple: go big or go back home. That’s been evident over the band’s career so far, from 2016’s ‘Hills End’ through 2020’s ‘The Glow,’ a comprehensive effort that saw the band double down on their efforts to ditch early Britpop associations. , Less Oasis and Blur, and more Underworld, Chemical Brothers and Orbital. Little wonder Kasabian chose them for the support slot on a tour, as did Arctic Monkeys at their recent show in Australia.
Sydney trio’s fourth album ‘How Many Dreams?’ The latest take on a sound brimming with charm and reverence is one that the band says is the best distillation of what they set out to do in the first place. The band compared it to their debut, commenting that the broader approach of ‘Hills End’ has been revived, as has their comfort and confidence in their place in the scene.
‘Kitne Sapne?’, is certainly ambitious and has been accomplished with that loose approach. The opening title track, where rock instrumentation meets big-roomy EDM, is a good one, a subtle nod to Empire of the Sun’s theatricality while keeping things grounded. The weirder they get, the more the album flourishes: closing track ‘De Carle’ has Jaguar Ma and ‘Come With Us’ era chemistry, while ‘Something We’re Overcoming’ and ‘Everybody’s Saying Thursday Is the Weekend’ ‘ Both would pack an almighty chorus live.
If there was ever a moment for DMA to truly commit to one sound and fearlessly do so, it would be on album four – disappointingly, it sounds like they’ve held back on points. ‘Dear Future’ has the tune of a latter-day Gallagher brothers, while the quieter moments ‘Get Rave’ and ‘Forever’ do little to enhance the album’s larger set-pieces – they’re an uncomfortable pause while the DJ slightly Stinky falls.
It’s not a completely wasted opportunity though. ‘How many dreams?’ is ambitious and engaging enough to satisfy longtime fans and rewire the narrative for those who may have written off DMA. But it’s hard not to leave feeling that this was their moment, and they’ve only grabbed it with one hand.
Details
- Release date: March 31, 2023
- Record label: I OH YOU
