As one of the founding members of the noisy electronic group Holy Fuck as well as a member of LIDS with Doug MacGregor of The Constantines and Alex Edkins of Metz, Brian Borcherdt has spent years making unhinged dance music and touring relentlessly. Behind the scenes, however, Borcherdt was writing songs of his own that branched out in dramatically different directions than his main gig and informed his solo project Dusted.
Dusted has announced the sophomore album ‘Blackout Summer,’ out April 6 via Polyvinyl Record Co. It arrives on the heels of the acclaimed 2012 debut, ‘Total Dust,’ for which he captivated crowds supporting Great Lake Swimmers, Perfume Genius and A Place To Bury Strangers. In addition to steady touring, Dusted also made a cameo on screen in Jean-Marc Vallée’s 2014 film ‘Wild’.
‘Blackout Summer’ is an amazingly consistent and emotionally focused statement. Each song creates its own world of texture and narrative, and all nine of these worlds interlock with the same strange, hazy emotion. Album opener Seasons sets the tone for the album’s twilight glow with a protracted, dreamy unraveling of chiming guitar lines and wistful vocals, all building in a slow burn. Elsewhere, the wintery Cut Corners hangs solemnly before disintegrating into a wash of ghostly tape echoes. Conversely, upbeat lo-fi burners like Backwoods Ritual and Dead Eyes channel Dusted’s experimental energy into catchy guitar pop that feels undeniably alive, almost breathing. Take a listen to Backwoods Ritual via YouTube below.
‘Blackout Summer’ winds through floating ambience and dark, moody rockers, but every disparate moment somehow feels connected. Dusted’s fuzzy landscapes, dream-like production and buzzing melodies all congeal, burying Borcherdt’s twisted take on pop under layers of that all-important haze.
Pre-order ‘Blackout Summer’ here
