- Sometimes, the stars align for a label. In 2007, everything seemed to come together for Dial. In 2008, there are inklings of something like that happening for Smallville.
Tonight Will Be Fine, the debut of label owners Steinhoff and Hammouda, draws the listener into a field of similarities with Pigon’s wonderful Promises EP from last year. In fact (and I mean this as a compliment) this could almost be a ‘lost’ Pigon EP, and certainly wouldn’t be out of place in the Dial catalogue. Like more recent Dial output (‘05 onwards), it’s all about the focus on the intricacies of lean, interlocking melodic elements and sound planes, and long tracks comprised of several movements working together to form a complex composition full of large spaces and carefully built moments.
‘Wondering While Wandering’, the A-side (which plays at fully fat, rich 45rpm on the vinyl version), begins with soft vibes bounced through some short delay interspersed with light stabs that slowly mesh into a building groove driven by dry, clicking percussion. After pausing for breath with a fall-away, the drums build again, this time joined by a sombre synth wash. Both tracks on the flip follow in similar form, ‘You Are’ with a slightly more old school drum sound, and the title track with a gloomy and prototypically ‘Detroit-y’ melody, perfect for those steel-skied afternoons.
Overall, this EP sits very comfortably in the Dial mould and should satisfy anyone interested in hearing an emerging direction based in this sound. For a debut EP, the quality of the compositions here is really exceptional—expect big things from this duo (and their label) as they continue to develop their own unique voice.
TracklistA Wondering While Wandering
B1 You Are
B2 Tonight Will Be Fine