Altre di B are back with new album SDENG. Each of their records represent a different era for the Italian band – illustrating their rehearsal space at the time as well as highlighting a preference for the unknown locations rather than the big city life. On their fourth album, SDENG narrates a new approach for the four-piece. A blossoming relationship in the Italian countryside birthed ten songs about friendships, wrong decisions, ordinary life and straight up feelings. The result is one of the more organic sounding records of the year, and paired with the band’s off-kilter, jangly Post-Punk, it makes for a dream combination.
The deliciously named ‘Green Tea Tiramisu’ kicks off SDENG with an immediate taste of Altre di B’s sound. Clean guitars lay down a gloomy riff that aims for the hips but take their time to get there, allowing the rhythm section to catch up and bring that extra push to the mix. Already the jangliness wraps you up in its sound, and the steady beat of the drums tips it into becoming a real groove. It’s a solid opener, and the seamless switch between electric and acoustic chords works really well and highlights how much variety exists on the record.
‘Peacock’ brightens up the sound with sprightly melodies dancing among the instrumental, moving once more at a tempo that’s so easy to fall into. It sets you up nicely for ‘Diagram’, the lead single and my personal favourite track on SDENG. Filled with layers of harmony and percussion, it opens a new world of sound on the record. Its intro is enough to kick things into the next level, but the proceeding male/female vocal dynamic, scattering synths and the general absurdity of it just confirms where we’re at now. It’s superb. Insane, but superb.
Fortunately, the rest of SDENG lives within this absurd mindset. Continuing the trend to explore the depths and taking you on a real sonic journey into the strange. ‘FAQ’ is a straight up power punch of sound. Burrowing to the bottom with a fervent energy, making for a sweet Indie tune. ‘9-5er’ tackles the monotony of life by way of alarm clocks and seething statements against office life. I almost feel attacked by being an office worker but can’t ignore how much joy those bright synths bring to the ears.
SDENG is a fantastic album from Altre di B. You never expect to have music from so far away come along and tick all the things that make you go YAY, but they’ve done that loads here. It’s a wonderful blend of mid-tempo grooves and powerful jams, all topped off with eccentricities to keep it flowing nicely. I could listen to this record over and over again. So good.