Dätcha Mandala is a French power trio that has been active since 2009 and offers Psychedelic Rock sounds steeped in Heavy Blues, with hundreds of explosive live performances to their credit. Their new album “Koda” was released on April 26, 24 via Discos Macarras Records and contains 11 tracks between 3 and 4 minutes long. Opener “She Said” immediately immerses us in the band’s granitic sound with distorted guitar riffs and a solid rhythm section. The powerful drumming ties in well with the deep, load-bearing bass lines, with the guitar doing good work in both riffs and inserts. The vocals are dynamic and offer engaging melodic choruses that counterbalance the Heavy sounds. The tiltle-track “Koda” features a penetrating distorted guitar in the verses, with a solid rhythm section with a killer bassline. The sound is fresh and modern, combining heavy stretches with melodic lines and engaging choruses that immediately grab the listener. In the second part, the guitar takes centre stage with an intense solo intervention in the instrumental section, before returning to the vocals and concluding. “The Wanderer” is a keyboard-enhanced track that combines a rough sound with distorted guitars and bass with engaging choruses and melodies. Energetic drumming that ties in with the load-bearing bass lines, Heavy guitar riffs and a melodic, at times choral vocal that alternates well with the intense instrumental sections. One of the longest tracks on the album, “Om Namah Shivaya,” is a powerhouse of Heavy riffs that combine Bluesy and Funky traits with the power of Heavy Rock. An original and well-constructed piece, full of tempo changes and refined textures, enhancing the band’s compositional and performing technique, with a modern and incisive vocal. “Syndrome of Laborious Optimism” is a 53-second interlude featuring an energetic drums solo that takes us towards the following. Dirty riffs and that Blues Rock vein permeate the sound of “Wild Fire,” an intense track with a dynamic and expressive vocal. A mixture of Garage Rock and modern Heavy Rock with marked Blues influences enrich the sound, as do the fine guitar solos in the second half. “Love Myself” is a more delicate sounding track mixing Pop and Rock with an energetic and engaging rhythm section. The vocals are melodic and expressive, with the guitar playing the lead role both in the melodies and in some of the solo interventions. Garage Rock and Post-Punk influences emerge in “Thousand Pieces,” an irreverent track with scratchy guitar sounds. Dirty, distorted riffs, an incisive vocal and interesting phrasing between guitar and keyboards in the instrumental sections. A concentration of energy with that Garage Rock and Punk attitude that characterises the style of the track. They return to the band’s more classic sounds with “It’s Not Only Rock’n’Roll (and we don’t like it),” another good guitar work in the riffs. The rhythm section is characterised by granitic drumming and deep, load-bearing bass lines, over which the rough guitar riffs and the piercing vocal that repeats the chorus weave. “Julietta” is characterised by dreamy atmospheres and warm, expressive vocals drawn over delicate guitar arpeggios. A sweet track that accompanies us for 3 munches with just guitar and voice, showing another facet of the band and enhancing the vocal performance. The album ends with “Homeland,” which is also the longest track in duration, exceeding 4:40. The sound is granitic, with heavy guitar riffs and a solid, elaborate rhythm section, while a sometimes choral vocal accompanies us throughout the track, intertwining with the intense instrumental parts. A concentration of power with darker atmospheres and an interesting guitar cue in the finale. A band that manages to bring its own stamp to each track, creating an intense album from start to finish between Heavy, Blues and Stoner sounds. Fresh and modern enhances the band’s compositional and performing technique, through 11 well constructed tracks with vocals as added value. A recommended listen for lovers of modern Heavy Rock sounds and a band that shows experience and a sound with personal and original traits, an excellent album.
Tracklist
01. She Said (03:30)
02. Koda (03:42)
03. The Wanderer (04:16)
04. Om Namah Shivaya (04:40)
05. Syndrome of Laborious Optimism (00:53)
06. Wild Fire (03:39)
07. Love Myself (04:15)
08. Thousand Pieces (02:53)
09. It’s Not Only Rock’n’Roll (and we don’t like it) (03:26)
10. Julietta (03:08)
11. Homeland (04:47)
Lineup
Nicolas Sauvey / Lead Vocals, Bass and Mouth Organ
Jérémy Saigne / Guitar and Backing Vocals
Jean-Baptiste Mallet / Drums and Backing Vocals
