Dimensional People album cover
Dimensional People

Mouse on Mars

2018
Thrill Jockey

An impressive accomplishment, Dimensional People almost feels overburdened by context: recorded using robotic instruments, spatial ‘object-based’ sound mixing, orchestral composition, the duo’s own mobile apps, and a phalanx of guests (Bon Iver, Spank Rock, Swamp Dogg, Sam Amidon, members of The National and Beirut, and more), it’s an overwhelming listen, at first blush. But it coheres around simple structures: everything runs at 145bpm and in a similar key. What’s most impressive about Dimensional People is the way it integrates musical contributions so seamlessly, while staying true to a core Mouse On Mars ethos (that experimentation should always be fun, and remain quizzical and anarchic), if not a core sound. There are hints of their recent flirtations with bass music, gestures back to earlier indulgences in post-rock and electronica, plus notched funk, melismatic R&B, folkloristic melody, and exultant pop. Sometimes, it’s all there in the same song.

Jon Dale

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