Canadian trio
Doomsquad
's third album is a sharp turn from their previous style of shamanic dance jams. While even more disco-fixated than 2016's
Total Time
,
Let Yourself Be Seen
stands out by containing more overtly political lyrics, and a much greater concern for the state of the world. "General Hum" begins with rambling about becoming numb to the deluge of tragic news, questioning the presence of humanity: "Is there a place for spirit anymore?" While the group's lyrical content is certainly more fired up than before, so are the rhythms. The tracks are a potent mixture of classic Chicago house and early-'80s downtown New York post-disco funk, filled with throbbing beats and
ESG
-style bass lines, as well as chunky guitar riffs and flashy synths. Beyond that, the song "Emma" (a tribute to anarchist political activist
Emma Goldman
) echoes ambient and West African influences, with swirling flutes and shaker-led rhythms. The track incorporates
Goldman
's famous dictum "If I can't dance to it, it's not my revolution," and
steadfastly stick by these words, matching their aggressive protests with music designed to be a uniting force. The group merge acid techno with psychedelic neo-disco on tracks like "Let Yourself Be Seen" (urging the freaks to come out and "find safety in numbers") and "Weather Patterns." During the latter, the lyrics confront enemies and attempt to form a bond, noting that we all share similarities and that "We may stand in opposite sides of a conflict, but we'll all still get wet in the rain." Much more forceful and revolutionary than
's previous efforts,
is easily the band's most engaging and focused work. ~ Paul Simpson