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| Popmatters |
 On their sophomore album Both Ways Open Jaws, French-Finnish duo the Dø blend genre influences as disparate as the bare bones indie pop of Lykke Li, the orchestral folk of Joanna Newsom, and the globally minded hip-hop of MIA. It’s a potentially precarious balancing act that is solidly anchored by Olivia Merilahti’s dynamic and engaging singing voice, and the subtly inventive instrumentation of composer and producer Dan Levy. Whereas many of today’s genre-melding indie artists rely heavily upon the use of electronics and loop based songwriting, Both Ways Open Jaws is an album that is rich with live, organic instrumentation as Merilahti and Levy channel their infectious pop numbers through an eclectic ensemble of pianos, guitars, strings, brass and live percussion. In addition to the previously mentioned popular music influences, Levy’s arrangements draw upon an array of classical and traditional sources from Hungarian composer Bela Bartok to American Appalachian folk music as well. This range of musical reference points, along with the emotional breadth of the album give it the feel of a meticulously curated play list, or movie soundtrack, and it’s telling that the duo first worked together scoring films and dance performances. Album opener “Dust It Off”, builds upon a simple, repeated piano line and Merilahti’s softly ascending vocal melody. The hypnotic repetition of these elements continues until the song’s final minute when a current of brass, woodwinds and scattered, fluttering electronic percussion washes over them, drawing the listener into the album’s complex and varied sonic vernacular. On the following track, “Gonna Be Sick”, the Dø reveal their more rhythmic inclinations with the steady thump of a looping, descending bass line, accentuated by live percussion and vibes. The most instantly infectious song on the album is the single “Too Insistent”, which foregrounds Merilahti’s impressive vocal range and delivery set to the backdrop of a driving, guitar based pop structure. The song’s climactic chorus is augmented by rising strings, punchy brass and shout along backing vocals. The Dø’s softer side emerges on “Leo, Leo”, a track inspired by the Cuban classical guitarist Leo Brouwer, as vocal harmonies are held aloft by a steady, surging arrangement of finger picked guitar, strings, harp and keyboards. Then, on “Slippery Slope”, Merilahti morphs into a chanting, MIA cribbing MC delivering monotone exclamations over an intricately layered live percussion groove....full text |
| Guardian |
| The Dø had a No 1 album in France last year with A Mouthful, which showed off their frothier take on combining the Knife-style eccentricities and the melancholy MOR of the later Cardigans albums. This, their followup, is finally getting an official UK release seven months after it first surfaced. It's a focused, determined sequel, sharpening their sometimes uneven sound to a dreamy, sepia-tinged set of songs that are far more elegant than the punk-pop-ish titles – Gonna Be Sick!, Smash Them All (Night Visitors) – would let on. The string-soaked The Wicked & The Blind, in particular, illustrates the strange, impressive feat they've managed to pull off with this record, which is to sound sparse and rich at exactly the same time....full text |
| Musicomh |
| French/Finnish duo The Dø (pronounced "The Dough") released a Number 1 album in France in 2008 with their debut, A Mouthful. At home, they're a major act, packing stadiums and thrilling the festival circuit. Now, their eclectic and quirky sophomore release, Both Ways Open Jaws, is getting a proper UK release seven months after its first appearance. Front woman Olivia Merilahti and multi-instrumentalist Dan Levy walk a fine line here, but it's clear that they're performing without a net. Just above Levy's slightly off, slanted, rose-coloured backdrop, Merilahti's vocals and lyrics (sung in English with an enchanting but understated accent) provide an emotional and intellectual support that makes The Dø that rarest of groups: challenging, surprising, and compulsively listenable. Throughout Both Ways Open Jaws, Levy and Merilahti present the listener with a constantly shifting surface on which to roam. The sonic layers here are impressive and expansive, but never dense. The glitch beat that segues album opener Dust It Off from cutesy pop to something more menacing is a prime example of what the group is capable of, and it establishes The Dø's sonic intentions from the start. Yes, we are in for a surprising, emotional, and occasionally difficult journey, but not one devoid of fun. And the journey is rife with twists and turns, detours and diversions to keep even the most studious and cynical listener entertained. The too sweet, twee singsong refrain ("Why don't you let me down?") on Too Insistent; the foot-stomping rhythm accompaniment to Bohemian Dances, which leads into looped whooping; the coffeehouse acoustic haze of Smash Them All (Night Visitors). There are moments here that inspire smiles, just as others confound on first listen....full text |
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