Join The Dots
Self-Released, 2024
8/10
An assembly of home and field recordings from 2018-2024, Mr Diagonal offers us a kaleidoscope peek into his many talents, where the Brussels artists touches on various ideas of pop.
“Hedges” opens with the warm keys and soft storytelling that’s a bit mysterious and theatric, and “California” follows with Yannick Dupont’s drums, Quentin Manfroy’s bass and Annemie Osborne, Maïa Frankowski, Margaret Hermant and Nicole Miller’s strings making for a chamber filled and intimate delivery.
Deeper into the listen, “The Boy From Outer Space” welcomes plenty of synth to the quirky version of indie-pop, while Houssem Ben el Kadhi’s dreamy flute is present for the ambience and meditative qualities of the album’s best that is “Brixton Pastoral”
Close to the end, “David Attenborough” buzzes playfully amid frisky percussive ideas, and “I Feel Terribly Bad” exits with some retro video game adventurousness that puts a firm exclamation point on Mr Diagonal’s diverse ways.
The Scotland native is behind the words, music, arrangements, piano, guitar, voice, bass, percussion and mixing of this colorful listen, where dark humor, timeless pop and avant-garde folk are appreciated.
Travels well with: Juni- Late To The Party; Carmen Sea- Sorry