Dais US レコード& CD

Review: 'Queens Of The Circulating Library' sees a re-relase from Dais, once more cementing the everlasting reputation of monarchic industrial-drone-ambient outfit Coil. All hail. This nearly 50 minute project has verifiably made its subjects quiver and shake with fear; the stern voices of the 'queens' who guard this seemingly infinite sonic bank of knowledge are narrated by the opera singer Dorothy Lewis, who takes a break from melismatic belting and trilling to play the role of totalitarian info-guardian. A deep, menacing psychedelic journey, not for the faint of spirit.

Review: Coil arguably were in their best form as the new millennium dawned as well as being already deep into their career. Musick To Play In The Dark not only lived up to its name, it marked a transition both sonically and astrologically for the band as they declared a new era as a lunar rather than solar group. Mixing gently melodious ambient motifs and immersive aural textures with more experimental sounds, spoken and sung vocals and a variety of unobtrusive rhythms, the album remains one of the most vivid and enjoyable outings in their vast, action-packed catalogue. Whether it's spooky distorted sounds on 'Strange Birds', 'Red Queen''s strange droning late-night piano soul, or the yearning ambient pop on 'The Dreamer Is Still Asleep', this is a subtly bold record packed with exceptional ideas.

Review: Drew McDowall is as complex and enigmatic an artist as Coil, who he worked closely with for many years. He's followed his own path as well as being tangled up in the world of Jhonn Balance and Sleazy, and now this box set on Dais offers an authoritative overview of four relatively recent LPs and additional exclusive material stretching over six CDs. 2015's Collapse, 2017's Unnatural Channel, 2018's The Third Helix and 2020's Agalma are joined by a disc of rare, alternative and extended versions and a disc of live performances. From oddly angled ambience to lithe, snaking electronica, there's a lot of different sides to McDowall's curious musical mind, and this extensive collection is a perfect way to navigate just part of it.

Review: Glistening, opiated soundbeds from Coil's Drew McDowall, aided by an orchestral ensemble arranged by Brent Arnold and comprised of cello, viola, violin, harp, and french horn. In constant fugue between electronics and threadbare, extended technique-laden orchestration, the album simmers and boils over in a constant cycle of stasis, catharsis and rebirth. The first half opens with the misty-eyed 'Out Of Strength Comes Sweetness', in which disorientating mechanical plucks float in and out of focus, before fully opening out into the grandiose 'And Lions will Sing with Joy', which shudders with dissonant clouds of strings before opening up into an elegiac harp improvisation. The second half is even more ambitious, with sour, suspended string drones lapsing into paranoid voices and contorted crescendos.