Articles
2014 TOP 10s & 20s
Dday One

Albums
2562
Poppy Ackroyd
Blueneck
Nicholas Chase
Vicky Chow
Carlos Cipa
Dale Cooper + Witxes
Dday One
Federico Durand
English + Vitiello
Everyday Dust
Eyck and Tarnow
Faded Ranger
Grouper
Robert Hood
Human Greed
The Invaderz
Thomas Köner
Kontext
Akira Kosemura
Heiko Laux
Norberto Lobo
Andrew McIntosh
Monolog
Aina Myrstener Cello
Northumbria
Michael Nyman
One World Symphony
Postma & Osby
David Pritchard
[.que]
See Through Trio
Dirk Serries
Jakob Skøtt
Miguel Zenón

Reissue
Hassell and Eno

Compilations
Air Texture Volume IV
Emerging Organisms 5
Hyperdub 10.4

EPs / Singles
David Ahlen
Blu Mar Ten
Boston feat. Solis
DIFFER-Ent (By DJ Bone)
Gone Beyond
Matthias Grübel
Lami / Ratti
Lubomyr Melnyk
Ryo Murakami
Om Unit
Pursuit Grooves

The Invaderz: New Found Dialect
Commercial Suicide

It's relatively easy for a drum'n'bass artist to mask deficiencies in a single or EP format, but much harder for them to remain hidden over the extended span of the full-length. Given that an album-long presentation of similarly styled throwdowns will wear out its welcome for many a listener long before the last note sounds, the artist in question must broaden the stylistic scope if he/she hopes to maintain interest from start to finish.

Such thoughts come into play as one approaches New Found Dialect, the debut long-player from The Invaderz (London-based mates Darrell James, Leo Grant, and Matt Lord). With thirteen tracks and seventy-two minutes on offer, one expects that the collection should include a strong cut or two at the very least. As it turns out, New Found Dialect includes a goodly share of quality material.

Certainly “Addicted” gets things off to a promising start by crowning an energized drum'n'bass pulse with a delightfully soulful vocal by Deleelah. Immediately thereafter, the opening minute of “Bonesaw” proves that The Invaderz can be a deft hand at moodscaping when the impulse strikes, and the crushing groove that subsequently thunders shows the trio also is more than capable of getting heavy when necessary. The frenetic “Feel The Same” and “Jazz Club” roar with buzz-saw purpose, while jungle rears its ferocious head within “Burning Book” and “True Grit.” “Jungle Life” switches things up even further in sneaking congas, dub bass lines, and other title-befitting samples in amongst its beat thunder. Taking its cue from “Addicted,” the album highlight “Love Vibrations” pushes New Found Dialect to an even more sultry level in working vibes, disco strings, and vocal flourishes into its arrangement.

As the album advances, funky high-rollers, amen-styled workouts, and punishing steppers appear in turn, and it's this kind of range that keeps one listening from start to finish. Interestingly, though, it's the album's soulful cuts that are the most memorable, a detail that in itself hints at one way by which the trio might distinguish its group sound from its drum'n'bass brethren should it wish to do so.

December 2014