
The Nomad: Perilous Times
By Jacob Connor
The Nomad (Daimon Schwalger) features regularly on our playlist at home, ‘Selected Works’ and ‘4th Step’ in particular, so I received this release with interest. Initially ‘Perilous Times’ seems something of a backwards step. His first album since relocating to Melbourne (and sixth overall) has a gritty urban vibe, couched in dub step rhythms and dancehall toasting. Whereas much of his previous work celebrates metaphysical transcendence this seems mired in humanity’s problems. Under the hood, bass-wobbling sawtooth synth and a host of new vocal collaborators: Jornick from French Guiana does much to bring a Jamaican dancehall flavour to proceedings, Oakley Grenell lends guitar to half the tracks, pro-dope jam Blaze remixes Sweet AZ Soundsystem. The production is deft as ever, with a satisfying fatness emanating from the speakers. While the new, urgent cosmopolitan style leaves me somewhat colder, the seed for the album project, Devil In The Dark is a complete left turn. Harking back to golden age Hollywood, it ushers in swooning celluloid strings and features Julia Deans in a noirish vamp. This rubs me up the right way.
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