Unexciting Blissed-Out Indie
Sound Sanctuary are one of those bands that its really hard to make up your mind about. They're certainly not bad, but they're not devastatingly exciting either; what they are is subtle and pleasant without forcing their glistening electro ripples down your throat too much. 'DUST' is a little reminiscent of Air in its soft, sumptuous soundscapes but with gentler vocals and less of the stark electronica edge.
Title track, 'Dust' is a mid-tempo, middle of the road tune that essentially feels like coffee table indie but with a shimmering electronic edge that adds a little interest. It just feels far too chilled to carry any passion with it. Easy listening is fine as an idea, but it needs just a tad more variety to keep a listener's attention. There is no difference in tempo and instrumentation on the tracks, for example, 'Enemy' has a warm, Latino vibe about it, but it still feels painfully far too laidback. Tunes like, 'Mexico' with its soft, flowing whispered vocals and the glittering, 'Got The Feeling' catch the listener's attention. The latter with its shuffling beat and cool, colourful vocal melodies that have a shy sixties style.
Unfortunately a lot of the tracks also sound like 80's ballads, 'Under The Radar' with its whispering vocals and epic rhythm section is one of these but it's a clever enough tune with each new vocal layer washing over you. For fans of dewy-eyed, serene love songs, 'Crossfire' might appeal; it's certainly a pretty tune, but again, it's also so slow and reflective as to almost risk becoming a dirge. The best track is probably closer, 'Badababa' which picks things up and combines the sweet vocal harmonies that run through the album with a shuffling and danceable rhythm, finally! There's nothing very much wrong with, 'Dust', if Sound Sanctuary aren't hoping to appeal to the kids in the clubs, but it's just not a highly interesting album.