Dusky - Outer (2016) [Hi-Res]

Where Dusky's 2011 debut album Stick by This found them announcing the change from their former project Solarity, Outer finds them branching out from a sound they've cultivated over the five years since. Stick by This is a deep house/downtempo affair that helped define Anjuna Deep's then broadening horizons; it almost has more in common with a Submotion Orchestra album than the Dusky of today. In the years since their debut, they've released a steady string of EPs that have gradually gravitated toward a heavier, dancefloor-specific orientation. At this point, a Dusky track typically falls into one of two categories: Either a combo of piano and vocals or something darker and percussive.

Given their precedent for reinvention, you get the impression they were aiming to expand again on Outer. The album feels like the duo are reaching for something greater, but the end result feels like a dilution, a compromise, and every other synonym for middle-of-the-road. The main issue this record faces is the overabundance of vocal tracks; it's at the point of saturation, with many vocals failing to add anything to the music, which in turn sounds underplayed to accommodate a human voice. That's not to say there's not an argument for vocal house, it just needs to raise the bar, or at the very least, have more of a hook.

Unfortunately, the vocals on Outer are so nonsensical that they come across as clichéd. "Tiers" is a good example. Presumably, it's a play on the word tears, so that when you hear the line "like tiers falling" you're supposed to find it insightful, but of course faux-wisdom never is. Equally confusing is the working-class sentiment behind "Runny Nose." Despite the track itself dressing to impress a more mainstream/disposable income audience, it's less "the weekend has landed" and more like "our flight to Marbella has landed." The inclusion of Wiley on "Sort It out Sharon" also feels mismatched, through no fault of the venerable grime MC. This is only highlighted by the much improved remixes from Dread D (aka T. Williams) and Kowton, both of which give the grime godfather's lyrical flow the space it needs to fully flourish. There are some redeeming moments in the second-half, such as the dark gem "Songs of Phase" or the lead single "Ingrid Is a Hybrid" -- which has rightfully received heavy praise for its soaring vocals and staggered rhythm -- but having to wade through the album doesn't seem worth it when you can cherry pick the tracks that truly deserve attention. It's a common ailment for full-length house records, and there's no easy solution. It's just a little tragic that it's the approach Dusky sound like they were trying to avoid. ~ Liam Martin