The new album sees the band fully embrace their instrumental side which was heavily championed on their last album. Of the new album, their 3rd, the band say: “Digital Tropics englobes all the facets of our personalities going from rock, to electro and more varied influences such as 80’s pop or even hip-hop. It gives a wider range of emotions and we believe that it’s a powerful album. We’re really proud of this album and can’t wait to share it with everyone.”
The appropriately named lead track ‘MKL JKSN’ is the perfect introduction to ‘Digital Tropics’, with reverb soaked and groove-infused staccato melodies from the guitars dancing around a technical and mechanically intricate rhythm section. Elsewhere tracks such as ‘Telekinesis’ infuse slightly heavier riffs and driving rhythm with guitars that sound closer to keys or synths than strings, giving the track a diverse and uplifting feel. This is where the inclusion of new influences can be heard, at times you can almost hear elements of Kraftwerk, whereas other areas are closer to bands such as ASIWYFA, Faraquet or Battles. Similarly this can also be heard in ‘Ecliptic’, which darts between the realms of electro, math-rock, and Vangelis/Brad Fiedelesque moments of euphonious orchestration.
MOTB are a band that have soared from strength-to-strength with every album by delving further into their individual personalities to explore new sounds and composition techniques. In doing so the band has reached new territory exploring a more deceivingly moody soundscape than ‘Trials’, which is both technically challenging yet entirely danceable. ‘Digital Tropics’ is a work of relentless convergence and exploratory disposal that reaches to the heart of both emotional and creative expression. The result of which has created MOTB’s most diverse and accomplished album to date.
Cédric Czaika (Bass/Vox)
Clément Delporte (Guitars)
Nicolas Przeor (Guitars/Vox)
Sacha Schmitz (Drums/vox)
Clément plays EGC guitars
www.electricalguitarcompany.com