Silver Daggers

Simultaneously taking on noisy post-punk, dance-y no wave and gothic free jazz, L.A.’s Silver Daggers apply an "anything goes” approach without losing focus. Part of this can be attributed to their busy line-up. Boasting boisterous synthesisers, jabbing guitars and a frantic rhythm section, the songs are led by the busy saxophones and frenzied, yelping vocals. New High & Ord, their debut full-length, follows a slew of limited vinyl and cassette releases, and numerous personnel changes. In its controlled chaos, however, the album conjures images of a band that know exactly what they’re doing. Opener "Enter the King” is a fast mess not unlike Arab on Radar. The title track is a slower build that allows for more dynamics with the music. Elsewhere, tracks like "Joy” and "Real Neat Flag” balance traditional ideas of melody with toe-tapping rhythms and unbridled busyness as each instrument vies for attention. The amount of ideas crammed into New High & Ord, and their surprising level of coherence, demand repeat listens.