Mass Datura – Sentimental Meltdown

This is music to escape to – with Sentimental Meltdown, Mass Datura don’t want you to dwell on life’s grievances, but celebrate overcoming them instead

Album Review by Hayley Scott | 09 Oct 2017
Album title: Sentimental Meltdown
Artist: Mass Datura
Label: All Types of Slime Records
Release date: 6 Oct

Despite the title’s connotations of dour existentialism, Sentimental Meltdown is an exhilarating ride. Its themes would suggest otherwise, however: childhood rejection, guilt and the imprisonment of the disenchantment of oneself would typically be depicted with misty-eyed dejection, but Mass Datura aren’t archetypal in their approach to making music; existing entirely in a weird and wayward world of their own.

The shameless glam of this LP is a welcome anomaly among the earnest guitar bands too afraid to venture outside of genre stereotypes. Frontman Thomas Rowe’s vocals are elaborate, but add character to a sound that allows for vocal dramatics in the same way, say, the romantic Englishness of Brian Ferry’s voice contributed to the sophisticated art-rock appeal of Roxy Music. In essence, music that’s as colourful and chaotic as Sentimental Meltdown needs a distinguished voice.

The brevity of Sentimental Meltdown also works in the band’s favour: the 27-minute run-time negates the common mistake of including needless fillers for the sake of it. As a result, not one track disappoints. Despite its glam leanings, it’s not without its nuances: the bouncy, psych-tinged Temporary Halo’s propensity for indie pop brilliantly counteracts the soporific slow-burn of Fantasy Friction. Even during the more contemplative moments, though, it’s not without a faint hint of well-executed sleaze.

While Sentimental Meltdown's musical effusiveness can come across as excessive and even self-indulgent to some, its sheer ambition is commendable. This is music to escape to – Mass Datura don’t want you to dwell on life’s grievances, but celebrate overcoming them instead.

Listen to: Temporary Halo, Fantasy Friction

https://soundcloud.com/mass-datura