Maudite Dance ‘Echoin’ (Self Released). Most would consider the act of breaking up a brand name on the verge of acclaimed success something akin to commercial suicide. The more cynical would view such an act given full possession of the facts something to be applauded first and foremost for the bravery and secondly for the brass nerve though would pause, consider and question the reasoning behind it. Had the brand name run itself into a cul de sac or was it garnering a support it didn’t want and the mere shedding of identity was an act of distancing themselves. Personally I suspect there’s a truth in all the above to varying degrees. At this point you may well be scratching your head thinking ‘what the f*ck is he wittering on about - has he lost it or something’. Well the plain truth of the matter is Maudite Dance used to known as the Clerks an Anglo/ French ensemble based in Manchester who apart from releasing a rather nifty demo and a killer single for the enviable finger on the pulse imprint Art Goes Pop where considered by many as the hottest thing from across the channel since the cancan. No casualties in the line up were glad to say and now expanded to a five piece this handsomely packaged hand made demo release features three sizzling hi-fi damaging cuts two of which having previously seen the light of day (‘Echoin’) via the aforementioned initial demo (see missive 77) and (‘the dissidents’) their (to date) one and only official outing (see missive 100). ‘Echoin’ opens up the pack, a gorgeously razor sharp slice of effervescent groove lined with a candy coated lovelorn schizoid art pop buzz that’s bleached through with wiring electronics replete with heart arresting see sawing riffs that jab and spar playfully atop a template that sounds like a wired to teeth cross pollination of New Order’s ‘Age of Consent’ and ‘Run 2’ and serviced with a chorus you could kiss. I wouldn’t mind but its not even the strongest cut here. ‘the dissidents’ shouldn’t need any introduction here, simply one of the best things committed to vinyl this decade though by way of a brief recap for those at the back, asleep or requiring a sharp dig in the ribs this babe is a colossus, a looping austere mantra bolted down by a maddeningly hypnotic heavy bearing clockwork grind the likes of which could easily fit on Quickspace’s ‘death of’ set without so much of a blink. Nuff said. Yet it’s on the new cut ‘underground’ whereby Maudite Dance really come into their own. A bracingly frantic darkly romantic gem of unhinged proportions austerely wrapped in a chilled pin point precision honed obsessive throb that steadily grows in stature and momentum achieving an almost claustrophobic meltdown. Frankly wipes the floor with the competition and with that now officially recognised here as the sexiest things on 10 legs and recipients of another Single of the Missive - like taking candy from a baby. www.mauditedance.com
