New Band Of The Day (no.17): Graceful Exit
Graceful Exit
Location: Boston
Since bringing LCD Soundsystem to a close in suitably dramatic fashion at New York’s legendary Madison Square Garden James Murphy has finally found the time to kick DFA records into overdrive. Over the course of 2011 the iconic label has unleashed a series of heavenly 7” singles from a variety of different artists, who all have two things in common: impeccable style and irresistible beats.
Joe Goddard of Hot Chip dropped the sensational “Gabriel”, Factory Floor transfixed dance fans with the spell binding “(R E A L L O V E)” and Gavin Russom unveiled his latest alter ego The Crystal Ark with the seductive “Touch”. In short it’s been a fantastic year for DFA, and Graceful Exit, the labels least established signing, only serve to enhance an already excellent reputation.
Graceful Exit are a four piece from Boston, Massachusetts who fully embrace disco, creating these smooth sinuous masses of indelible dance topped of by Jesse Allan’s relatively un-ironic sax solos. Unlike Murphy’s other signees, Graceful Exit aren’t dominated by the house aesthetic and they are by far the least metronomic of the new generation. The synths still burble and the percussion clicks and snaps in all the right places but these tracks, particularly “Let It Ride”, feel like wide open odysseys capable of migrating and will.
“Revolve Disco” is the clear stand out however, a straight and unashamed slice of disco purity that revels in a camp bassline, capturing a sense of freedom and hedonism that sounds somewhat naïve by modern standards. David Hayter
The Buzz: DFA’s latest signings are shamelessly bringing disco back with smooth sax and sexy arsed basslines.
For Fans Of: Chromeo, Rainbow Team, and Den Han
