Album of the Week: The Dayoffs

New York City is such a widely diverse place that there’s a good chance any two people from different backgrounds can come together to create something. For example, a Russian punk rocker can collaborate with a Japanese sound engineer and start a shoegaze band. That’s what happened when Vladimir Komarov and Atsuo Matsumoto got together to start The Dayoffs nearly a year ago. The duo released their self-titled debut album on Nov 10 via the German futuristic pop label Emerald & Doreen Recordings, and it’s a diamond in the rough. There’s an exploration of various soundscapes within a tight structure.

The foundation of the album is steeped in Komarov’s layering guitar riffs and the beats and rhythms supplied by Matsumoto. Rock ‘n’ roll is at the heart of each track but there are electronic and atmospheric elements as well. Distortion and feedback alternate with each other, building a lot of noise. The Dayoffs’ debut isn’t your typical post-punk record. There’s a lot to offer through melodies and amplification that can’t be ignored.

When it comes to the state of indie rock these days, it seems like garage rock, post-punk and shoegaze are running on parallel tracks against each other and, once in a while, one style crosses over into the other. There has been a vast influx of bands and artists that can be classified into one of the three, but among that influx are a few that push the boundaries where the musical lines cross. It seems The Dayoffs are doing that with songs that lean toward shoegaze while a handful of others are legit post-punk. To look further into this abyss, dive into my top tracks off of the Album of the Week:

“Love Love Love” is speedy and rambunctious; Komarov’s guitar drives through each note while Matsumato’s beats energize at a fever pitch. Sergey Kiselyov does guest vocals on “I Can’t Believe I’m Dead” and the force exuded is astounding; it’s another great example of Komarov’s excellent shredding on his six-string. Commentary on modern New York City life is conveyed in “State of Madness,” incorporating the unlikely presence of a melodica to add a different dimension.

Unfortunately the band don’t have any shows announced in the imminent future. With that being said, be sure that Komarov and Matsumoto will be playing around the Big Apple in the coming months. Hopefully they’ll grace New England with their presence sometime soon. Until that happens, grab a copy The Dayoffs’ self-titled debut album. It’ll give you a shock and then put you at ease.

Stream: soundcloud.com/thedayoffs/sets/thedayoffsemeraldanddoreen

Twitter: @thedayoffs