Brooklyn's Dirty on Purpose returns with a second EP, just as big a reminder of the band's past and potential as Hallelujah Sirens, an LP also on the cusp of something great. "Back to Sleep", a standout track here, has been around since about 2005, and it returns, re-produced, a little more precise, deliberate, and a touch slower than the first version. It was always one of the loveliest, most promising of the band's tracks, a long hangover nap that coddles the listener with a languorous guitar pattern dipped in the sweet, echoed flavor that has come to define the band's sound. But like many of their songs, it has its dingy, frazzled moments-- in this case, a chorus, then a whole comedown that launches back into that brief and deep vacation from prettiness, plunging into a murk that's anything but lethargic. No doubt, these are the emotions that the line "Go back to sleep" tried to warn you about.
An energetic continuation of this atmosphere is "Send Me an Angel", a cover of Real Life's 1983 hit. Naturally, it's extraordinarily reminiscent of the hazy disco rock that was reemerging when Dirty on Purpose was emerging-- I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness, Kasabian, et al. It's a fun choice-- sexy, grumpy, and nearly fist-pumping; it's also the closest the EP gets to being instantly accessible. "Airshow Disaster", the final mark of this five-song set, is vocal-free and breathtaking, delivering all the grit, desire, and passion of the band's debut. Energetic and static-laden, yet firm and controlled, it has more in common with the band's clear influences (My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth), who completely dispersed on "Angel" but are otherwise close at hand.
The title track, placed second, is the clearest example of this EP's ultra-comfortable production, heavy with bass, creating a firm, enveloping, Tempur-Pedic experience for the ears. It's akin to the muscular and lustful atmosphere that Electrelane created on No Shouts, No Calls, except instead of adding more cheek-close warmth (an organ), Dirty on Purpose just add atmosphere: the gorgeous, diaphanous guitar that winks a couple of times here, and gets in full swing on "Back to Sleep", which follows. The group excels at a drowsy, spare songs, heavy with perceptions and moods. Perhaps to wish for something more from this band-- a little more pop, bombast, or rage-- is to wish for its demise. Clearly, the group has more to tell us from the edge, surveying the muck below.
