The Wake

With just two tracks at around 28-minutes in length, Black Dice have created yet another release stimulating on both a musical and intellectual level. Continuing the broad themes that 2002’s Beaches and Canyons explored, Miles of Smiles shows Black Dice adding elements of musique-concrete and minimalism into their already intricate electronic-tinged music. The EP begins with the non-metrical title-track, a 13-minute composition that relies heavily on the stark contrast between a smooth, brooding sound and a dry percussive sound, showing its ultimate reliance on differing sound colors for its effectiveness. The second track, “Trip Dude Delay,” also contains this tension between polar sound colors, but is much closer to the atmospheric sounds of Beaches and Canyons. The track then is more like a vestigial remain than an indicator of what their upcoming full-length might sound like. Consequently, this EP exemplifies traces of Black Dice’s past, as well as hints of their future. It’s astonishing to think that just a few years ago they were best known for their violent live shows, screaming vocals and destructive take on hardcore music. Obviously, repetition isn’t their forte. Miles of Smiles is strong proof that their forthcoming full-length, Creature Comforts, could very well be their most pronounced statement.