There are plenty of bands looking to a set of influences which includes early Nineties staples like Stereolab and Lush. But there are few who can turn out music as richly rewarding as that of the points of inspiration themselves. Mo Dotti, operating out of Los Angeles, are one of those few acts.
The Mo Dotti record is called Opaque -- stylized as opaque, if you want to get precise about it -- and it's clearly the most fully-realized thing this four-piece have released to date. From the MBV-aping "Whirling Sad" to the more nuanced, Lush-y "Really Wish", Mo Dotti are doing this sort of thing better than nearly anyone else in 2024. A faint hint of "Dreams Burn Down" powers the intro to the epic "Never Comes Around" near the end of the album. That makes perfect sense given that Opaque was mastered by Mark Gardener of Ride. And while Mark's band were clear influences on Mo Dotti, the vocals of Gina Negrini give these tunes a lightness that is uniquely intoxicating.
Chruning hooks, feedback-drenched backing, and an almost addictive sense of the possibilities still left in shoegaze itself are the best attributes about this Mo Dotti record. There's little here that isn't invigorating, with even "Carnelian", a relatively slow number, doing its best to conjure up a world of sound that is all enveloping. Superbly realized and presented, Opaque is a masterpiece of modern shoegaze.
Opaque by Mo Dotti is out on Friday. Details below.
[Photo: Mo Dotti]