Noel Gallagher is a man freed. Three studio albums into his career the songwriter seems to feel little need to appease fans brought up on stadium-sized Oasis chorus. Instead, Gallagher is challenging the 60s psychedelia, that has always held his fancy, by way of 90s acid house sounds.
Psych rock follow up
Black Star Dancing is the first single from Gallagher’s soon to be released EP. Like many of his previous songs, its title suggests, that the songwriting process began with the title and had the rest colored in. While the psychedelic sounds of the songs on the previous release, Who built the moon? , came as a considerable left turn, the new single sees Mancunian carry on where he left off.
A 1970s disco rhythm and slow building synths open the song up. It’s followed by Noel Gallagher’s vocal delivery which signals the biggest departure from the iconic songs he had written during the 1990s. This is clearly a man that has been listening to some psych rock and doing the disco circuit.
Funk guitar, female backing vocals and slick production
Female vocals straight out of a polished French dance song enter after the rousing chorus. There’s also a bit funk guitar, something we assume Liam Gallagher would have vetoed immediately on the making of Definitely Maybe. An Oasis reunion does not seem likely at this stage.
Black Star Dancing is a tune that will likely grow on the listener. It is not as immediate as some Gallagher’s previous singles. It is not as shocking a departure as was his last album. What will likely win fans over is that Gallagher once again seems excited, unlike the final days of Oasis. There will always be a place for space rock, disco boogie in alternative music and Noel Gallagher is determined to support this cause. Expect an acid rave-up of an EP from the older Gallagher brother.
Rating: 7/10
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