D.D Dumbo – Tropical Oceans EP
Debut EPs on indie majors such as 4AD are designed to wet the whistle. They’re almost promotional in intent, particularly when re-releasing material originally made available last year. D.D Dumbo (it’s unclear if that’s “Dee Dee” as in Ramone or “double-D” as in … breasts) is Oliver Hugh Perry of Castlemaine, Australia and his striking Tropical Oceans EP oversees a four-track succession of experimental indie-folk.
Much is made elsewhere of Perry’s penchant for “African rhythms and Tuvan melodies”. These exotic influences don’t dominate, however, yet do come to a head during the off-kilter calypso of closing cut “Alihukwe”, the track’s loop pedal and chaotic 12-string producing a really quite singular sound. His vocal, too, has the same sing-song quality as fellow folk weirdo Andrew Bird and it lends his shuffling chords a dancing level of inscrutability. True to form then, a cover of the Roy Orbison standard “Crying” comes as somewhat of a curveball, Perry crumpling down the classic percussive riff over which he strings a suitably tearful vocal.
One listen to the title track proves its credentials as lead single, reverbed guitar chimes hanging like Morricone’s ghost in a drizzling lurch of spectral blues. It’s arresting stuff, but whether it’s the product of a loner striking it lucky or a visionary on the cusp of some folk fusion-gone-Animal Collective we’ll have to see. Until then, the all-too-brief Tropical Oceans is a striking glimpse into his world.
~The Tropical Oceans EP is released 27th October 2014 on 4AD.~