Dum Dum Girls and front-woman Dee Dee rode in on the wave of the lo-fi turned indie/rock/pop of Best Coast, Beach Fossils, and Wavves. While Dum Dum Girls debut album,
I Will Be was an instant standout to me in 2010 and I dug tons of songs on the album, later Dum Dum Girls albums didn't impress me quite as much. It's not that I didn't enjoy some songs or enjoy projects as a whole. It just really didn't stick with me as much as their debut. So Dee Dee, who goes by the name Kristin Kontrol on her new project, goes onward with her new album
X-Communicate. Which is a new name, new project, and in my opinion a more tightly focused direction on this new album. I had a much better first listen to
X-Communicate than I had from any Dum Dum Girls albums in a while. The buzzy 80s synth-pop meets indie rock vibe of the album is instantly catchy. There are even hints of 90s alternative rock. You can hear some of that 90s alternative tinges on "Face 2 Face". Instrumentally the song is fantastic and Kristin's vocals are so well done on the track. The title track, as well as a track like "White Street", stuck out to me on first listen. "
X-Communicate" captures 80s synth and dance pop in a similar way Tegan & Sara did with
Heartthrob. It's catchy and the instrumentals are vibrant and lush. It's a very good song. "White Street" takes a slightly more 80s pop/rock meets indie rock edge. Kristin's vocal performance is great on the album and it's easily some of her best vocal work on any album to date. Kristin Control isn't just a rebirth for the front-woman it's a great new direction. I can't emphasize enough how much better this project is than some of the latter Dum Dum Girls material. The balance, sonic direction, catchiness, and solid performances make for a super fun listen.
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