Dust Mothers - The Gates of Horn and Ivory
Released today on June 3rd, 2022, Dust Mothers have returned from their explosive debut with a worthy follow up. While it may not be as consistent or impressive as their debut, The Gates of Horn and Ivory features some hella-fine standouts worth checking out.
First and foremost, the instrumentals are still insanely rocking. Any time they take precedent, such as during the noisy sections of Statique, they steal the show. There are times where the instrumentals would have greatly benefited from being expanded upon, such as the neat little jam midway through Big Meat Bean; a song that still kicks ass during the second half. There are plenty of songs that follow the same suite, with a far more impressive outro than opening section, such as Swamp’s Kiss and The Way You Are. Had the album focused more on these sections, it would have greatly soared. Unfortunately, the band insist on leading more songs with the vocals; while they are well executed and remarkably high in energy, they’re very conventional in the songwriting department.
The two biggest standouts are evidently Jamais Vu and Cairo. The former has great variation in verses instrumentally, paired with an impactful energy and phenomenal outro. The latter track has a peak atmosphere and very strong songwriting. Unlike other songs on the album, these tracks have variation, whereas the remaining tracks tend to sound the same sonically. These songs also greatly impress in the production department, which has significantly improved. Everything sounds devilishly divine; immaculately mixed and mastered. Certainly, one of the most impressive mixes in the scene.
Dust Mothers are heading into the King Gizzard direction, where they are substituting their longer jams for a more accessible delivery. A shame, because their style does not flourish as well with pop. Everything still sounds immaculately executed, though it’s all material fans of the genre have heard plenty of times over. There will always be a market to see this material in person, and I can guarantee seeing them live would be a blast. Here’s hoping they can find that edge to make their recorded sessions standout a little more. The infusion of electronics, for example, would go a long way, as well as a lesser focus on pop. Nevertheless, the highs of The Gates of Horn and Ivory have earnt a worthy place on the radio.
Good
Listen to it here:
Dust Mothers - The Gates of Horn and Ivory
