The odder ilk of underground and independent music has a confusing and contradictory cycle of development. A fair amount of those who once provided auditory freak-outs are now opting to dip their toes into palpability: Animal Collective's horrific tribalism on works like "Hey Light" have morphed into the voice of Brian Wilson casting out from beneath a sea of synthesizers and thumping electronic rhythms; Pocahaunted's dusky rituals transformed into lightly dub-informed psych-rock jam sessions; Matthew Mondanile's development or detour, however you may perceive it, has been vindicated in the latest installment of his triptych, Arcade Dynamics.
This foray could be attributed to Mondanile's time as a guitarist for Real Estate, because much of its pleasant atmosphere, melodies, and lyricism acknowledges their 2009 debut. Rambling wah solos, minimal percussion, and positivism remain in tact. Arcade Dynamics is the deepest venture into languor, though, as Mondanile echoes the lackadaisy of the music in his vocal work. At times, he sounds too sedate to even be conscious of his lyrics: "Don't Make Plans" almost monotonically recites "Hey man, knew you have a plan/I don't have plans to be a man."; It's an atmosphere that we may have grown a little too familiar with over the last three years. However, the pop leanings aren't as digestible as Ducktails's contemporaries; the album's sunset anthem "Killin the Vibe" would be a repetitious mess if it weren't for the subtle vocal counterparts that appear during its choruses.
Mondanile, though adhering to an undeviating theme, shows substantial variation among Arcade Dynamics's 35 minutes. Ditties akin to "Hamilton Road" are infectious and brief-- readily made for the airwaves if only it were released 50 years ago, while pieces like "Arcade Shift" embody hypnotic and lumbering instrumentals, repeating to such an extent that the listener achieves transcendence, unaware of the time devoted to listening. That same effect is employed on the gorgeous 10-minute closer "Porch Projector," where families gather to watch the fireworks as Mondanile's manipulated guitar phrases cascade above-- withering and humming while encased within the tape hiss. This opus paves a new avenue for the Ducktails project, territory that will hopefully be fostered in the future.
Arcade Dynamics seems like an anachronism in the Ducktails discography: symmetry is drawn between the self-titled effort's analog amateurism and Landscapes's fully-established songwriting. Miraculously, it surpasses those two albums, exhibiting an oeuvre that is not only more cohesive, but vast as well. Mondanile's innocuously catchy disposition radiates alongside his experimental penchants, furnishing Arcade Dynamics with playful and intricate decor.
[Ducktails Website]
[Buy Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics from Woodsist]
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