DINNER PARTY - Enigmatic Society

On the new album “Enigmatic Society”, Dinner Party set out to refine their distinctive brand of soul, blending jazz, R&B and electronics. Compared to their debut EP, they opt for shorter song structures. Despite nine tracks, the album's overall running time stays well under half an hour.

The supergroup's stated aim remains to make music that defies niche categorization, placing refined sonic textures inside highly catchy, engaging songs. The album's most successful moments come when the band members gently weave virtuosic touches into the songs. This happens, for example, on “For Granted”, where a fragment of piano and watery burbles are enough to lift off an excellent, atmospheric R&B.

Equally intriguing is the structure of “Answered Prayer”: the song opens with a piano introduction that cradles Phoelix’s warm voice, while subtle jazz influences seep into the melody, until the saxophone solo emerges, intertwining with the piano and the vocals.

A similar structure can be found in the instrumental “Watts Renaissance”, where a driving bassline takes the place of the piano. At other times, however, one gets the impression that Dinner Party step back, leaving the floor to their guest artists. On “Secure” and “Can’t Go”, the latter built on a sample of Hall & Oates, it is mainly the vocal talent of guest star Phoelix that stands out. The same could be said of “Breathe” and “Love Love”, both soul/R&B numbers in the style of Frank Ocean, enriched by Arin Ray’s singing. The artist launched by the American version of X Factor confirms his interpretive abilities, but the music in the background remains static, without any jolts.

Ultimately, “Enigmatic Society” is a record that deserves attention and marks a decisive step in Dinner Party’s process of maturation, but it still shows the limits of a project in which the band’s personality at times seems to fade into the background.

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20/12/2023