Another new one from Dictator, and another one which I felt I had to write about. As you may know, I try not to call this a review site - I write about music which hits me in a special way. And 'Candlemaker Row' did that.
And now this band have, again, released a track so rich, so full of layers and almost-hidden elements that it takes a number of listens to really dig into it all. I'm not complaining. It's a song which merits repeat listens - the type of song Dictator have the knack of producing again and again.
Candlemaker Row begins with a muffled and heavily filtered guitar, sounding out from the depths. Then comes a beat based on synthed-bongo, a confident bass riff somewhere in the depths, a ding of a triangle, and Michael's voice begins to cry out. It's all passion, yearning and absolutely swathed in reverb. Next: Wham! In with a gorgeously satisfying release of distorted guitar. A splash of pure rock in the electronic sea.
This is very much true to Dictator form: a powerful track, crossing genres in effortless hops, with some irresistible, stunning soundscapes. There are sweeps of ominous buzz, and some noises that can't quite be placed. And that recurring triangle 'ding' is so well judged ...
Another thing Dictator do so well is use silences - "giving songs space to breathe", as they described it to me. There's evidence of that here, as well as masterful use of varying volume levels and changes of tempo.
The guys told me that the song 'wrote itself' after the initial inspiration hit them - a challenge to write about favourite clothing brand Pieute - and they started digging into the history of the street where the company is based. But that explanation just shows their genuine modesty - songs like this need proper creativity and love to nurture into life, and Dictator would be right to very proud of what they've made.
When I wrote about 'Moonlight', I mentioned how impressed I was by the band's ability to conjure an image so well, through sound and lyrics. The same is true again here - even if you don't have firsthand experience of night-time Edinburgh and its haunting side streets, this track will give you just what you need.
Oh and finally: someone persuade these guys to release an album ... we're longing for one!