1. Born UnderSaturn
If I were a lazy journalist I would begin this article by making some point about second albums always
being a struggle. As it is, I'm simply going to remark on how much I liked the first Django Django
album. And how much l like this one.
It's been a while coming, nigh on three and a half years since their self-titled debut, but it’s been
worth the wait. The albumbeginsstronglywiththe thumpingbasslineof ‘Giant’,the trademark off-
kilterrhythmsandtrippingvocalsreturningatopaless-electronic-heavyinstrumentation.Bythe
time youreach the endof Shake and Tremble, a track so strong that I found myself wondering why it
wasn’t the first single, you’re sure that this is the same band, grown up a bit.
It's a solid offering, the sophomore album hurdle leapt over with ease and a new reliance on the
piano. It's futuristic while also backwards looking, drawing beats from rock and roll and blues piano
while retaining the odd harmonies and chant-like vocals of their original material. There’s more variety
of instrumentation: mixing different synth sounds with varying non-electronics, the frenetic beats of
First Light and Shot Down are like a party on a different planet. The opening of the latter in particular
sounds like something from the Blade Runner soundtrack, crossed with a lovelorn ballad and then
sped up a bit. The fusion of cowbells and thrumming bass is brilliant. Mad, but brilliant.
And that’s a theme that holds out through the album. The weirdness that marked out Default way
back in 2011 returns in the unearthly combination of syncopated, unearthly vocals with a cacophony
of different percussion and synths. Found You is a weird creation that sounds like a church choir
mashed up with an 8-bit video game soundtrack. It shouldn't work. It does, held up with the simple
beat and basslines that permeate the album. Second single Reflections is a corker, pulsing
instrumentation boosting the now trademark vocal harmonies of Django Django. It doesn’t just
retread over old territory, though: the inclusion of a monster horn solo midway through is a stroke of
genius. Pause Repeatisa particulargem,witha maddeningchordsequence thatthreatens notto
resolve itself,bouncingaroundonaspring-heeledchorusbefore comingtoajoyousconclusion. It’s
impossible tolistentowithoutwantingtobobyourheadup and downand possiblydoalittle dance.
That much hasn’tchangedfromthe firstalbum.
The albumis a cohesive whole,keepingtoa similarsortof soundthat takesthe bleeps andfaintly-
Mario-Kart-Desert-Hillssoundof theirdebutandupdatesitwithmore variedinstrumentation.It
workswell together,the firsthalf of the albumhavingenoughvariationtokeepyourattention,
while notbeingsodisparate asto detractfrom the formas a whole.Thissaid,a couple of the songs
on the albumare a bitsamey:it’ssolidstuff,asfillergoes,buta bitstandardfare,mergingintoa
homogenyof synthandoff-kilterrhythms.Obviously,the DjangoDjangoformulaworks,andworks
well,butit’sa slightshame thatthe lastthirdof the albumisweakerthanthe barnstormingopening.
That said, Born Under Saturn displays the maturation of Django Django's sound, along with the
maintenance of their quirky appeal, all odd lyrics and jaunty melodies. I’d argue it’s more musically
sophisticated than their debut, but without denaturing the plain weirdness of the music that
entranced listeners the first time around. It bodes well for their continuing career.