Album Review: "Vermillion" by Dirty Art Club

Vermillion by Dirty Art Club is released on May 28
on Phonosaurus Records

I can't remember the last time a local band surprised me as much as Dirty Art Club.  The Charlotte based duo of Matt Cagle & Madwreck deliver dense tracks filled with hip-hop styled breaks and psychedelic instrumentation, but most importantly they're capable of eliciting emotion through their music.  When I first heard Hexes, Dirty Art Club's 2012 EP, I was immediately enthralled by their brilliant Dilla-esque production.

Hexes contained dark undertones and a chaotic sense of direction, but Vermillion is vastly different in that sense.  Vermillion is filled with bright melodic exploration, showcasing heady tracks with entrancing rhythms and tight percussion.  Coated sun-soaked, reverb washed grooves, Vermillion is another incredible release for a band that's on the fast track to great things.

Album opener "Hemlock" glides along with a constant, smooth bassline and choppy vocal samples but gradually expands into a surprisingly expansive track with airy woodwinds and lush strings.  The song seamlessly deviates from its bassy foundation into an easy listening soft-rock dreamscape for it's closing seconds to make for an even more fulfilling transition to the standout "Sun Burn."  The aptly titled track plays out like a sepia-toned summer soundtrack thats filled with soulful samples, funky basslines and commanding rhythms.