Despite the angry-looking paint splashes that adorn the front cover, ‘Dupleix’, is far more mellow and in keeping with the Glockenspiel moniker. That said, they’re not some avant-garde collective who trade in plinky-plonky dulcimer chimes and subtle xylophone tinkling, and the five instrumental tracks utilise more conventional rock instrumentation to explore – in the truest sense – a range of styles and forms.
Soft percussion rolls beneath drifting post-rock electronica on opener ‘Larven’, swashes of sound swirling ahead of the epic improvisation that is the title track, which builds from guitar drones to a monumental and climactic extended crescendo during the course of its 11 minutes. ‘Bellville’ a chiming instrumental, ragged, eager drumming recorded in a lo-fi fashion add a warm fuzz to the overall sound.
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There’s an almost slacker indie feel to the final two tracks, with ‘Fentanyl’ meandering its way to the album’s close by forging an expansive vista that ultimately explodes into a million shimmering shards of guitar noise, tumbling tumultuously toward its feedback-filled conclusion.
The recording quality and production may seem at odds with the ambition, but it works, because it makes ‘Dupleix’ stand out as being different. It’s also an album of range and dynamics, that offers up hidden treasures – even if they’re largely rough diamonds.
Glockenspiel Online
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