DOBBELTGJENGER: Smooth Failing (POP,Rock): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

The general atmosphere not being particularly cheerful, every opportunity to escape must be preciously welcomed and the music clearly offers this possibility. The good news of the day comes from the Norwegians of Dobbeltgjenger who give a follow-up to the excellent "Limbohead" that we had analyzed three years ago by offering us their third album "Smooth Failing".

"Limbohead" having shown such qualities and an almost ideal balance in its composition, it is not surprising that the four musicians of Dobbeltgjenger repeat its overall direction in "Smooth Failing". It is an immediate pop that we find in "Smooth Failing" which offers festive and catchy melodies with funk, retro and sometimes disco accents ('Elephants In The Room', 'Dive In', 'Come On Over'), groove ('Johanna') or folk ('Do The Wrong Things').

But the Norwegians, in parallel of their jovial and casual attitude, express a particular affinity towards more depth in the instrumentations, disturbed atmospheres and harmonic complexity. With its slow tempo and Blackfield-like tones, 'Building Skyscrapers' echoes the nugget 'La Dee Da' with its powerful choirs and dark keyboard arrangements. 'Living In Overdrive' presents the unbridled part of the record because although shining with the same melodic and rhythmic brilliance as the funky songs of the beginning, its acoustic end with distorted sounds is a more experimental and psychedelic, just like the brassy 'Electrical Seasons', close to the offbeat spirit of Bumblefoot.

Those who were thrilled by "Limbohead" will certainly be customers of "Smooth Failing" which follows in its footsteps and confirms all the good things we think of this band. Knowing his audacity and his mastery, we would have liked to hear Dobbeltgjenger dig more frankly some of his darker tendencies to provoke more contrasts in his music, which keeps despite all its attractions. - Official website

DOBBELTGJENGER

SMOOTH FAILING

KARISMA RECORDS

POP