Following a string of boisterous post-punk and dance EPs, Stranded (aka Atlanta-based artist and producer David Mansfield) is back with his first full-length, “Midnight Sun“. The album also marks the relaunch of Double Phantom Records, Mansfield’s underground label, which has released music from Atlanta bands like Algiers, Balkans and Carnivores. “Celine’s Dilemma“, was his first EP as Stranded, that arrived in 2018, which was followed by a pair of EPs in 2020, “Long Dusk” and “Post Meridian”. The trio of EPs traverse house, disco and post-punk, emitting both joy and agitation as their dissonant instrumental layers snake in and out of one another.
“Midnight Sun” is a bit of a departure from these dense electronic collages, opting instead for a guitar-based sound, which results in Stranded’s most straightforward release yet. But Stranded hasn’t abandoned his left-field quirks or broad influences—his rhythm-driven post-punk still folds in dance-inflected beats, bubbling synth tones and cold vocals. Perhaps the biggest change is that Mansfield occasionally swaps a brightly coloured sonic palette for a darker, more grim one. Midnight Sun is slightly ominous, particularly the bluesy gothic-rock number “The Last Word,” the electro-meets-Bauhaus opener “A Testimony” and the harsh stonking of “Crossed Lines.” However, the interlocking guitar mazes of “Hesitation” add some ribbons of colour, as do the affecting chorus of “Wayward Haunted’’ and the cascading twinkles of “Fallen.”
With Mansfield at the helm of all the vocals and instrumentals, Midnight Sun is another thought-provoking, danceable addition to Stranded’s diverse back catalogue.
David Mansfield– Production, Performance, and Writing
From the upcoming album, “Midnight Sun”, out 24th September 2021
The Fat Angel Sings 