Gentle Leader XIV Share Title Track, Joke in the Shadow
In a world full of immediacy, for which I’m admittedly a sucker, Gentle Leader XIV are offering up an entirely different brand of electronica than our typical fare. For starters, the drawl of the drum sampling seems to be tugging at the time stamp, holding it one place for the track’s duration. Even when the synths take on their full approach, there’s restraint; just listen to the nod to Depeche Mode after the 30 second mark. All of this work leaves plenty of space to be filled, and while the vocals entering adds another layer, even there, the song has space to move and wiggle. You get a ripping guitar cutting into the song’s middle, yet it all feels tethered to the percussive march, and in the end you’re left with this brilliant blanket of modern pop that greets you on its own terms. Their new record, Joke in the Shadow, is out on April 18th via Feel It Records.