Dave I.D.: Gangs
London musician, Dave I.D. is a mysterious sort. He was the 501st “Band of the Day” on The Guardian back in 2009 but even a research powerhouse like the Guardian could not dig up many facts on the musician. But as they note “that’s OK because…he’s bloody brilliant, and the music’s all that matters.” His new EP, Gangs is Dave I.D.’s first release since his label, Off the Uncertain Button teamed up with !K7 Records.
The Guardian called Dave I.D. a genius two years ago but how much has changed in two years? The article talks about how Dave I.D. is influenced by everything from “hip-hop to industrial, ragga to dubstep, Robert Wyatt to Radiohead.” At least some of those influences stick around on Gangs.
The EP kicks off with “Only Me I Can Save”. The track is reminiscent of Wavves with its uptempo beat and snotty, reverbed vocals. The drums are not live drum sounds which gives the track a little bit of a dark wave feel as well.
The dark wave feel is something that is prevalent throughout the album. “Marvel” uses some dark synths that gives the track an almost industrial feel. That is combined with a dubstep influenced and Thom Yorke-esque falsetto vocals to create an interesting dynamic. I say interesting because the song does not really appeal to me.
The fact is a lot of Gangs shows Dave I.D.’s talent but a lot of the EP just is not that appealing to me. Part of it is due to the eclectic nature of the EP. Every song brings a different vibe; I understand Dave I.D. does this so he can not be pigeonholed but it is slightly tiring to listen to. With the exception of “Only Me I Can Save”, the album features almost exclusively falsetto, reverbed vocals in vein of Radiohead and Muse; these type of vocals are getting very played out especially from UK bands.
Rating: 4.3/10
MP3: Dave I.D. “Only Me I Can Save”
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