Mastodon’s Brann Dailor and his synth-rock cosmonauts return to space for second Arcadea album. Cue less gravity and more floorfillers…
A synth-rock record about a futuristic society from the drummer of Mastodon, you say? As elevator pitches go, it’s an intriguing one. Intriguing, yes, though not necessarily promising. Lest we forget, several of those hallmarks characterised Mastodon’s 2014 album, Once More ’Round The Sun, which, despite intergalactic expectations, is now considered a relatively by-the-numbers offering from a band known for continuously taking ambitious leaps.
Admittedly, this second album from Arcadea is Brann Dailor – joined by Core Atoms and João Nogueira – trying to avoid crossing the streams of his projects, attempting something more fun and danceable than their self-titled debut, released in 2017. In that regard, this is pretty successful, at least in its ability to provoke listeners to trip the line fantastic, thanks to tracks like Fuzzy Planet and 2 Shells. You’d have a hard time throwing shapes to Starry Messenger with any less than eight limbs, given how speedy its electronic undulations are.
It’s less proggy and po-faced than its predecessor. It’s certainly jauntier, with Gilded Eye and Planet Pounder seemingly relishing their own absurdity, sounding as they do like several video game soundtracks being played at the same time. Both tracks also benefit from being more suited to Brann’s vocals, which work best when darting in and out of big, busy arrangements.
The Exodus Of Gravity is an album of niche pleasures; despite sounding different to its predecessor, it is unlikely to appeal to many beyond Mastodon’s fanbase. It would be a shame if it doesn’t, as its brain-bending arrangements and eccentricities will appeal to those for whom music is for space exploration, not billionaire bellends like Jeff Bezos.
Verdict: 3/5
For fans of: Mastodon, Muse, Ghost
The Exodus Of Gravity is released on August 22 via Relapse
