Have Dead Letter Circus undergone an epiphany?
On their third album, these Aussies seem more focused than before, accentuating the more atmospheric conditions of their music and allowing this to dictate where the songs are going. In the past, the band have been a little derivative; here, basing their work around Kim Benzie’s evocative vocals, they’re striding out with determination to ensure individuality is paramount. You can hear it on In Plain Sight and While You Wait, both of which build comfortably and smoothly, yet never towards dull crescendos. There’s no sense of the band following the usual motif of reaching a climactic conclusion. Here, the compositions tilt between coy, melodic claustrophobia and a more erudite, catatonic rhythmic flourish. This is even more emphasised on The Burning Number, which is imbued with a sensuously percussive foray from Luke Williams, while Change The Concept leans more toward alt rock, featuring coruscating guitar interplay. Dead Letter Circus are slowly perfecting the symbiosis between space and complexity. This isn’t a masterwork but the band are steadily striding towards their peak.
