Becoming Real, “Tracy Chapman” MP3

story Sam Hockley-Smith

Back when Gang Gang Dance got a lot weirder than they get now, the highlight of their music was when all the noise congealed into an ecstatic breakdown that reminded us why we got into this whole music thing in the first place. London’s Becoming Real approach that same musical release with “Tracy Chapman,” a song that begins totally overwhelming—snatches of superfluous blips and laughing monsters side-by-side with spaced-out and multitracked vocals, but they don’t stick around long enough to catch hold. It doesn’t matter because right around the 1:52 mark the whole song comes together, integrating all the cackles and tings and sub-bass into a concise whole that just wouldn’t be as good without the schizophrenic build up.