DMA’s – The Glow

With the absence of any summer gigs or festivals, it’s hard to find something to feel positive about. However, DMA’s’ The Glow, with its boyish Britpop-era charm and penchant for catchy hooks, is a simple, if fleeting, antidote to the modern world and all its complex woes.

While more primal shout than Primal Scream, the band seemingly also takes its cues from the other great Manchester era of music: the rave scene of the early 90s. On the opening, Never Before, the ethereal vocals of Tommy O’Dell and synthesizer effects contribute to perhaps the most captivating song on the whole album. The equally upbeat Life is a Game of Changing is an infectious pop-dance crossover with a chanting chorus to hypnotise anyone into singing along.

DMA’s represent the other end of the spectrum from much of the exported guitar music to come out of Australia in recent years, eschewing mullets and noise rock for a polished sensitivity and faultless production. However, on the crescendo-filled Cobracaine, the rising keys and guitar give a powerful sense of the energy of the group. When committing to dance numbers like this, the band’s strengths shine through.

A lack of variety in pacing, however, is perhaps what holds this album back the most. Criminals, bypassing the usual full-tilt ensemble barrage and opting for a more subtle guitar and keys opening, suggested a depth of style and emotion that is, frustratingly, never quite realised, even on the more measured Learning Alive.

Indie flag-waving at its most fervent, The Glow is not about its meaningless lyrics nor the tightly packaged teenage angst, but rather a vibe. This is sugar-coated music for the summer we have lost, party music for a party-less time. In that respect, DMA’s’ unfaltering youthful flair is a refreshing blast of unapologetic indulgence.

Jasper Watkins
Photo: McLean Stephenson

The Glow is released on 10^th July 2020. For further information or to order the album visit DMA’s’ website here.

Watch the video for Life is a Game of Changing here: