Amongst the many submissions in the sludge pile, sometimes a writer receives a project that shouldn't have been there. This album seemingly came out of nowhere and it stopped me when I listened. It's one of those completely independent projects that is haunting in all of the right ways, like disappearing into a dark dream sequence.
And it all began through Dropbox, which is such a trend in the current music industry that people don't always pay attention to what can come out of it. The Dirther LP began on the Something Awful forum, with the namesake Sefiros –Bryan Henderson– and heavily featured artist Kathryn Dearborn being introduced in one of those hidden Interweb situations. A native of Scotland, Henderson also enlisted Andrew Kay and Damien Hendry to contribute vocals to his instrumentations.
While Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls took an interest and promoted the project via the Internet, the mastering was completely Kickstarter funded. It is hard to pin down the Dither LP into a definitive genre the closest I could come to is "glitch pop," with shades of industrial. DIY isn't an easy way to go but what comes out of it can be incredible.
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/176164579" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
"The Dead Things We Are Made Of," was the first track that struck me on the album. It's gothic abandon is held up by an ominous synth arrangement and on it Dearborn's melancholy vocals have a touch of the classic moody female artist. She implores the listener to live again in a psychologically elevated way throughout the song.
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/176165648" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/176168599" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/176169070" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
"Never Turn Away," is the most in your face track on the album that immediately transfers into intense synth instrumentation. Kay's vocals appropriately stylized for the synths and play out in an artistic monotone to enhance it.
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/176169943" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/176171582" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/176172053" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/176172830" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/176174890" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
Title track "Dither" brings the listener down a dark hole of glitch pop enhanced by melodious piano and a tactical omission of vocals to create a soundtrack feel.
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/176176073" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/176177053" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
"Glass Girl," which features Dearborn went so deep inwards that it almost scared me. The ideas of abuse and feeling powerless in relationships are clearly heard in the instantly relatable lyrics and devilish synth work.
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/176178374" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
"Delusions" is another purely instrumental track that is hauntingly beautiful, full of melody ridden synths and glitchy interludes that provide a feeling of disassociation.
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/176179006" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/176179698" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
