Dat Politics – Blitz Gazer 8.8

                Dat Politics present their most mature work yet: ‘Blitz Gazer’. At their darkest they remain somewhat hopeful. This shows Dat Politics slowing down their hyper-activity. After a whole decade of rushing through things, Dat Politics have decided to slow things down to dance level. Grooves exist rather than rushes. Melodies remain poppy. Yet now there’s wistfulness in the songs. This makes it considerably more appealing in terms of sheer listen-ability. 

                ‘Blitz Gazer’ offers a wider range of emotions than anything they’ve offered before. Perhaps ‘Mad Kit’ gave some inkling of what they were pursuing. There is more darkness on here. On here they continue to possess that hope they imbue in everything. Yet there’s a willingness to be scared. A great deal of this still resembles Sesame Street child-like friendliness, but they’ve begun to expand. One of these pieces exceeds the six minute mark, the infinitely hopeful ‘Face in Sustain’. 

Here they make repetition a friend. This is hypnotic in its repetition. Dat Politics used to make fleeting hints at distress removing any actual drama from their songs. Now they are worried. Worry results in Dat Politics’ most human album ever. With a sense of sadness comes ‘Between Us’ one of the most heartfelt things they’ve ever made right down to ‘The day is turning night now’. Usually their lyrics are treated as nothing more than punctuation marks. Dat Politics has gained a new sense of hope, based not off of moving quickly, but through reflection. 

                This marks a huge shift from the sugar-fed optimism of their earlier work. Here they explore new territory years after they began. I’m really happy. Dat Politics manages to keep its distinctive sound while expanding their emotional palette.