All it took was a single spin of Dios Mio's debut cuts 'Tough Crowd'/'Lions' to take their hand and see where they are going to take us. With 'Proto' we can clearly see that the trip is going to be exhilarating, all encompassing. 'Proto' starts with a flood of sonic shimmering stars in your head, cascading around, lighting the way. It beckons you to close your eyes and immerse yourself. You put up no resistance to this. Then Helena's voice swoons in, richer, fuller than heard before. It flows over you, like being dipped in the deepest, warmest velvet. But it has an edge, a hint of rawness that stops it falling into the whispered ethereal of, say, Elizabeth Fraser, and it just captures and captivates.
There is an initial sense of brooding urgency, then 'Proto' takes us up in its arms and dances us to the edge of the sky. Spiraling through the clouds, then sweeping low, as if rushing over a pounding sea, clipping the waves before rising us up again. Allowing us to wonder at the majesty around us. We hear of how "I find it hard to believe you are so happy" lending a more visceral edge before being propelled to the the constellations. Too quickly 'Proto' is gone, all you can do is play it again. Companion song 'Cat's Cradle', perfectly fits into place with 'Proto'. It has a restrained yet quiet air of menace to it that draws you in, before hooking into you. With these songs Dios Mio have re-enforced our choice to put them as ones to watch in 2014. A final note must go to the artwork. Never before have I seen lizards resembling mutant Rio Carnival queens. Not sure whether this is inspired or disturbing. (At first glance I though it was a Fraggle, but that just shows my age.)
Dios Mio's website
Buy the single
Catch them live:
SAT 25 JAN Queen of Hoxton, London, UK
SUN 26 JAN The White Lion, Watford, UK
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