DMA’s have forged their own unique and exhilarating path ever since they first came to the world’s attention with their single ‘Delete’. I remember when they appeared, apparently out of nowhere in Sydney, and were dismissed by some reports as a sort of Oasis tribute band. Anyone who actually listens to their music soon realises this is such a reductive and lazy comparison.
While inarguably representing a revival of the Britpop era, DMA’s are far more complex than that. It is clear that they have a universal sound rather than anything that is distinctly or uniquely Australian, and it is also incontrovertible that they have developed a commercial and popular appeal based on their shimmering sounds, augmented by their humble approach to the industry. There are no pretensions or hyperbole with this band: they just simply write brilliant songs and get on the with the job.
Their last live concert at the sold out O2 Brixton Academy venue (and broadcast on YouTube during the lockdown period) was simply quite spectacular: this is a band that can deliver impassioned euphoric live performances to match the songs.
And so to ‘The Glow’. The third full player shows that the band continues to expand and flourish, innovate and create rather than rest on a tried and true formula. From the opening track, ‘Never Before’, we can recognise a shift towards greater use of synths and electronics and experimentation with structure – a move away from the traditional verse/chorus/verse/middle eight break format to more organic and developing patterns.
But the genetic code of DMA’s remains unbroken – there is an acoustic jangle throughout the sound which gives them that certain sparkle and shimmer against the muscularity of the rhythm section. The lyrics seem more mature and world weary: a sign that the band, on its third album, is addressing the challenges of global dominance and universal themes built on experience.
The singles released so far – ‘Silver’, ‘The Glow‘ and ‘Life is a Game of Changing‘ are without doubt classic pop songs that are ethereal and quicken the pulse. ‘The Glow’ is all about the ephemeral buzz that everyone chases:
‘Life is a Game of Changing’ clearly illustrates the driving synth beats that illustrate the expanding capabilities of the band:
But by no means are these songs alone in their stature.
Every track on this album could have been a single: the songs are universally filled with epic melodies, complex layered instrumentation and, indeed, a glow. There is a continuous air of wistfulness and melancholy weaving in and out of the shimmering sound that belies any Britpop lad-culture association – in this album DMA’s music becomes statuesque and immense, shifting seamlessly into New Order territory, with nods to an eighties sheen redolent of bands like Echo and the Bunnymen.
This album firmly places DMA’s in the pantheons of musical greats – not just a great Australian band but a band that can take its place proudly on the world stage. After all, sustainability and consistency of talent in songwriting are the hallmarks of band that is here for the long term.
The album is available now to download and stream here.
The band has also announced a series of intimate shows appropriate to social distancing rules in Sydney: full details and tickets below.
DMA’S
UNPLUGGED & INTIMATE
SYDNEY
JULY & AUGUST 2020
Thursday 30 July | Factory Theatre | Sydney, NSW | 18+
6.30pm show
9.00pm show
ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849
Friday 31 July | Factory Theatre | Sydney, NSW | 18+
6.30pm show
9.00pm show
ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849
Saturday 1 August | Factory Theatre | Sydney, NSW | 18+
6.30pm show
9.00pm show
ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849
Thursday 6 August | Factory Theatre | Sydney, NSW | 18+
6.30pm show
9.00pm show
ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849
Friday 7 August | Factory Theatre | Sydney, NSW | 18+
6.30pm show
9.00pm show
ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849
Saturday 8 August | Factory Theatre | Sydney, NSW | 18+
6.30pm show
9.00pm show
ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849
Thursday 13 August | Factory Theatre | Sydney, NSW | 18+
6.30pm show
9.00pm show
ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849
Friday 14 August | Factory Theatre | Sydney, NSW | 18+
6.30pm show
9.00pm show
ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849
Saturday 15 August | Factory Theatre | Sydney, NSW | 18+
6.30pm show
9.00pm show
ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849
Feature Photograph: McLean Stephenson
