Dacianos

"Hold Music" (Single, 2002)

There Is Hope

A 20 minute, two track single that's amateurish and ultimately insubstantial in spite of its seemingly grandiose aims. Dacianos (a couple of Irish guys) seem to think they are virtuosos with a serious message to share, but it sounds more like local musicians indulging their egos. Awkward because slim ideas are stretched way beyond their means. The essence is basically over in less than five minutes on both tracks but they indulge their fantasy and rehash what's already gone before for another five in both cases.

I'm still not sure if the violin is supposed to sound out of key with everything else on the first track, and they seem singularly incapable of playing any instrument in time. This sounds like they've gone with the first performance of each instrument that managed to rise just above plain terrible. Section 20 is apparently inspired by section 20 of the Tao Te Ching... apparently. At least there's an interesting narrative to be found in the lyrics of The Last of the Mohicans which is easily the better of the two songs. Ambition and pretension far out weighing talent. 4/10

Rob Dyer