Following two EPs of hazier psych-pop,
the Dig return with
Bloodshot Tokyo, their third full-length and first since 2012's Midnight Flowers. Co-produced by the band and bassist Matt Basile (
Mother Feather) and mixed by
Richard Swift, the album shifts toward a more refined dance-rock.
The Dig's sound is still marked by the sensual falsettos of alternating lead vocalists David Baldwin and Emile Mosseri, but there's a dedication to steady grooves here that, paired with a reflective tone, keeps the album strutting toward an inevitable late-night subway ride home alone. With a palette of synth bass, spacy keyboards, and drum kit, "Bleeding Heart (You Are the One)" is a relatively spare declaration of love suited for the dancefloor. Elsewhere, "Self Made Man" employs electric guitar and bass, but swirling synths and aerial vocals keep it gliding. The album's one pure rock song, "Reaction to Love," is a mere one-minute interlude. It leads into highlight "Simple Love," a trippy midtempo seduction with organ hooks and lyrics like "So fall into my arms/It's the only place to be/You're the fish and I'm the sea." The band has said that the tune was inspired by listening to inventions by J.S. Bach, a fact that won't be lost on listeners. With a consistent sound that borders on dance lite, sophisticated pop, and easygoing indie rock,
Bloodshot Tokyo has the potential to hold the attention of fans across styles, with a subtlety that doesn't seem to pander. Rather, with the aid of a production team with ears worth their salt,
the Dig offer up their most poised work to date. [
Bloodshot Tokyo was also released in a vinyl LP edition with a digital download card.] ~ Marcy Donelson