Dems - Muscle Memory (2014)

South London trio Dems hold themselves confidently on this debut album, but rarely do they sound original. The slinky minimalism that has evoked comparisons to James Blake and The xx runs throughout, from the echoing drums of ‘Sinking In The Sorry’ to the big bass wobble on standout track ‘Made For Myself’. Frontman Dan Moss’ falsetto vocals float sweetly above the well-constructed productions, but it’s hard to shake the nagging thought that this has all been done before, and better. In a musical landscape already struggling to accommodate a glut of soulful electronic artists, from 4AD’s Sohn to The Acid, the distinction between atmospheric and dull is in sharp focus. Sadly, on this evidence Dems fall squarely into the latter category.

01 - Sinking in the Sorry
02 - Sense of an Ending
03 - Wake
04 - Made for Myself
05 - Got No Brains
06 - Muscle Memory
07 - Lioness
08 - Never Have Never Will
09 - Desire
10 - Night Tales