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Gang Gang Dance - The Year In Review: Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
Gang Gang Dance : The Year In Review: Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
14th December 2011

"A freak-out of experimentation." - Q
"Deliriously enjoyable" - Uncut ****
"A bright and endless summer of sound" - The Wire
"Pure exhilaration" - Word
"A masterclass in mind-expanding, boundary-melting art-rock" - The Independent
“One of the most captivating, exciting and original albums of the year” - BBC
“Eye Contact is, in every way, beautifully synthesized” - MOJO ****
"Gang Gang Dance's finest, weirdest, and most uplifting statement yet." - Pitchfork, Best New Music

In May, Gang Gang Dance released their first album for 4AD and fourth in total, Eye Contact. Recorded throughout 2010 with long-term collaborator Chris Coady (producer of Saint Dymphna and Rawwar EP, as well as recent releases by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Zola Jesus, Beach House and TV On The Radio), Eye Contact saw a new line-up subtly build upon the melodic aspects of their last album; the landmark Saint Dymphna.

The album's rich sonic palette reveals the band's fondness for a variety of sounds, from the bass-led frequencies of dancehall and UK dance, to the more outre elements of pop. As such, Eye Contact stands as Gang Gang Dance's definitive statement thus far.

To mark the release of the album, Gang Gang Dance recorded an extremely memorable 4AD Session. Filmed in early April at Angelic Studios in the heart of rural England, the band convened in a purposefully built 20ft square mirrored room, encased by endless reflections of themselves.

Inspired by the so-called ‘infinity rooms’ of the seminal Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, the construction of the space comprised most of the time allotted to recording. As a result, the session didn’t begin until midnight, and continued through until sunrise the next day. Inevitability, the twilight hours suffused the performance with a subtle euphoria, which allayed with the warped environment crated by the mirrors, touched the renditions of ‘Glass Jar’ and ‘Adult Goth’ with an otherworldly quality. Adding to the room's ambience, the hanging crystals lent a prismatic quality, rendering the kaleidoscope of Eye Contact in primary colours, and helping mark the session as a true landmark in the series.Watch the session below.