Solid and Intriguing
65 Days of Static have been busy doing the rock with electronica beats thing for several years, and have three albums to show for their work. They’re also a band that have a profile that doesn’t meet with the potential appeal of the noise they make, and this could be down to the fact that it’s hard to explain exactly what they do.
The 65DOS gigs R13 has covered have generally rocked to the core (including shows at the likes of Camden Crawl and Guilfest), and there’s no doubt the tracks on this new EP would do the same live, but to listen to we’re dealing with music that at times have the hard rock backbone, but are fundamentally dance tracks.
Since it opens the EP, it figures that ‘Dance Parties (Distant)’ should have the most commercial potential. A pounding beat, powerful hook line and some chanted shouty vocals make this a solid, if a little unremarkable start.
There’s a more noticeable rock presence on ‘Dance Parties (Mechanised)’, but still this is 65DOS in their music for the club world mood. The EP becomes more interesting in the second half, as we leave the floor filling style of dance music behind, and enter into the world of ambient weirdness.
The selling point of ‘Goodbye, 2007’ and ‘Antique Hyper Mall’ are their intrigue factor rather than any great memorable quality, and that’s probably the best way of summing up this EP. ‘The Distant And Mechanised Glow Of Eastern European Dance Parties’ which, by the way, is a brilliant title, needs the right frame of mind to be enjoyed properly. It does have a take it or leave it feel, while being fascinating at the same time, and ultimately a rewarding listen.
Certainly not for everyone, but if you like to dabble in the more interesting and under the radar side of electronica, then seek this EP out.