Blog hype ushered in
Dom’s first EP, along with debates whether they were merely trying to capitalize on a hot trend paved by
MGMT and
Girls, or if they actually were the next big thing. Feeding the hype machine,
Dom's frontman (also named
Dom) ruffled critics’ feathers by admitting that he strove to be “the
Madonna of garage rock.”
Madonna comparisons are a big stretch, and garage rock is a term that fits loosely, but there is no question that the quintet's freshman outing is a deliberate -- and deliberately slack -- attempt at conventional pop. The punchy hook “it’s so sexy to be living in America” and the anthemic three-chord pep of “Bochicha” are immediate standouts, but each track is similarly catchy, in a synthesized indie pop vibe that mirrors the bouncy sleekness of
Jaguar Love’s
Hologram Jams or any number of
Dom's Astralwerks labelmates. It would be easy to interpret Sun Bronzed Greek Gods as overly processed or too insincere, but the songs’ bright textures, insistent beats, and sweet harmonies make them very buttery to the palate. Sometimes, that’s enough. ~ Jason Lymangrover