by Conor Lochrie (@conornoconnor)
Dirty Projectors has always been one of the most malleable and flexible musical outfits of the last couple of decades so it’s no surprise that they are giving us their new intriguing project in 2020. The band are releasing five EPs this year - via Domino Records - and each one will feature a different member as lead. It’s a curious strategy but one that’s also required when a band contains five equally individual talents as Dirty Projectors does: artists Maia Friedman, Kristin Slipp, and Felicia Douglass joined original leader David Longstreth and drummer Mike Johnson in 2018.
Longstreth remains on production duties but keyboardist-percussionist Douglass’ lead vocal is the treasure of the EP. Where Friedman’s prior Windows Open traded in lilting folk, Flight Tower soulfully soars under her spell into higher and dancier stratospheres. In this way, it corresponds more to the quintessential form of Dirty Projectors, all unusual beats and unique and stylish forays. Its modern R&B is glitchy, jumpy, and aurally enveloping, Douglass’ voice warping in and out of the production; the delightful smoothness of her delivery contrasts well with the chaotic arrangements.
Flight Tower drifts just over ten minutes and it’s a wonder that such a short record vibrates with so much ingenuity - each song’s textures are so packed and fun that an extra few minutes would have been welcome. Douglass makes opener “Inner World” imminently relistenable: a clickety percussion beat persists, a dog seemingly barks from beyond, but it’s her infectious tone that keeps one’s attention; it’s always unstoppably cool, never flashy. With its chipmunk vocals, “Lose Your Love” begins eerily similar to a Passion Pit production before focusing on Douglass’ lovelorn lyrics (“I never wanna lose your love / I never wanna let you down”). The third song weaves a stranger pattern. Sampling Ravel’s Miroirs, “Self Design” staggers Douglass’ words under a busy bassline; it’s complex, experimental, maddening. “Empty Vessel” then drives the EP to a calming conclusion, chopped vocal filtering through a propulsively-moving beat.
Once they’ve each had their own turn, the final EP in the series will see all members trading vocal duties, setting things up for an interesting completion. Afterwards, Dirty Projectors could do worse than release the entire thing as one whole record: they’re a band who’ve always tread an unconventional trajectory, so this 2020 collection would be no less interesting to witness unfold.