Released on: 2nd November 2018
Dionysus, in Greek mythology, was the God of ritual madness and religious ecstasy. A fitting title for the tenth studio album by the culturally divergent Dead Can Dance. A group who for the past twenty thirty-odd years have faithfully incorporated the sentiments of world music and neo-classical into dark arias of Gothic sensibility. Of which their newest album continues to accede them a distinct sonic solvency.
True to the duos’ established form Dionysus boasts depth in both its timbre and composition. Offering up allusions to exotic places through the ethnicity of its accented melodies. As Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard once again collaborate to explore middle-eastern scales. Integrating them with Celtic muse. In hindsight there’s a Byzantine quality to the overall sound but there’s also a very gothic nature applied on the album.
Dionysus is dark and almost pagan in its use of acoustics and it also holds very dance like qualities in its procession. Offering a more sensual type of body music than most if not all of its electronic contemporaries. With its trance inducing entourage of authentic instrumentation and the potent vocals of both Perry and Gerrards’ timeless layered arrangements Dionysus is more a movement than a pop album.
However at times incidental these tracks don’t pretend to be anything overtly cinematic. With seven tracks spread over two acts each individual song casts its own shadow. Yet retain the flavour long time fans of the duo will be accustomed to. And while Dionysus doesn’t break the Dead Can Dance mold it’s certainly exciting to hear something new from them.
8/10
