Deerhoof have been around for a long old time now – 28-years according to the obligatory press guff that accompanies all new releases. 28-years, I can scarcely believe it I can tell you. I love this band, they never fail to engage or surprise. The most surprising thing about this new record…no…there are two surprising things about it. First Satomi Matsuzaki sings in her native Japanese throughout (long overdue and very welcome), the second is that Miracle-Level is Deerhoof’s 19th Album, in 28-years, and is the first one they’ve recorded in an actual recording studio. That’s some going isn’t it? Does the studio take away from their DIY aesthetic? Absolutely not – this is the same band we adore, but with more toys to play with, and the record sounds great: a perfect entry point for those new to the band, and a logical step in the direction of the band for all us older heads.
What does it sound like? Playful, glorious, transformative, experimental, funky, bold, beautiful, brave, magical, hopeful, psychedelic, sexy, poetic, lyrical, a sonically packed galactic wig-out. In other words, It sounds just like Deerhoof, and that’s all you need to know.
