Though British band Duologue began making music in 2008, they just released their debut full-length, Song & Dance, in 2013. Formed by university acquaintances Tim Digby-Bell and Toby Leeming, the two recruited other musicians that they had known from their school days to round out live performances. The album features industrial samplings, indie melodies and even traces of folk. It is an eccentric mix, but this is an unusual group, considering they opted out of adding a drummer to their lineup yet include a violinist.
Song & Dance has an overall dark feel, which is present from the second the LP opens with “Machine Stop.” The intro consists of eerie sounds and tinkering bells that lead into the keyboard-driven chorus, with it ending in the same fashion that it began. “Talk Shop” is one of the more electronically-based tracks on the record, mixing infectious beats with captivating harmonies that are sure to get trapped in the listener’s head. The six-and-a-half minute first single off the record, “Push It,” begins with a steady, thumping beat and Digby-Bell’s vocals alone. But as the song builds, the warping effects, a simple guitar and Seb Dilleyston’s violin add to the track’s intense, dramatic conclusion.
Duologue have managed to produce something surprisingly refreshing within their first record. Though at times some of the tracks are at risk for being drawn out, they handle it by keeping the audience on their toes with unique arrangements. If this is any indication of what is to come, they have a promising career ahead of them.
In A Word: Engaging
