This Mangy Soul sees Dyzack return to the accoustic singer-songwriter format of his early career. Before you go ‘God, not another one’ you should know that This Mangy Soul has little to do with the soothing sentiments of Bon Iver or the Tallest Man on Earth. Instead it echoes the fiery temper of Captain Beefheart’s avant-garde blues rock. As far as I’m concerned it’s the most surprisingly beautiful Dutch release of the year, even though it takes some concentration and patience to discover.
In 1997 the Dutch Rock & Pop Institute (NPI) released the compilation CD Characters as part of its Unsigned Project. The CD contained 24 professional recordings by young Dutch singer/songwriters. A couple of the early tweeners contributing went on to have flourishing musical careers, most notably Racoon and Joep Pelt. The artist that stood out of the pack and deservedly got signed first was Erik Hofland aka Dyzack. I remember being highly impressed by Hofland’s virtuous and manic guitar playing. Each of his three contributions to Character (Haunt, Wheeply Soul and Roll Over White Eyes) radiated a sense of urgency and fright that overshadowed the efforts of his contemporaries.
In the years surrounding his debut album The Rat Dance Refizz (1999) Dyzack was a rising star indeed, winning national prizes and a performing at showcase festivals around the world. Personally I felt that the critically acclaimed debut, recorded with Martijn Bosman of Gotcha! on drums and Rob van Donselaar on keys, did not have the edge of Hofland’s earlier solo recordings, but it was still better than anything Dutch out there at the time. Unfortunately, the ‘most talented’ phase is over before you can say ‘disappointing sales figures’. Polydor music broke with Dyzack after his sophomore album Neurotic Jackpot (2000) stayed way behind Racoon’s Till Pigs Fly, released in the same year. Dyzack has since been making music free from commercial pressure, self-releasing the occasional CD, composing music for the theatre and collaborating with artists outside of the realm of popmusic.
This Mangy Soul is Dyzack’s fourth album. It feels like a comeback album, not only because of the return to his acoustic roots, but also because it has the same sense of urgency as his early recordings. This has everything to do with the fact that Hofland has now reached the same age his father had when he committed suicide. This Mangy Soul is inspired by a bizarre dream in which Hofland sees his father being resurrected after a medical procedure.
For the first time since the Rat Dance Refuzz Hofland displays his unequalled skills as an experimental blues guitarist. On bluesy tracks like Whatever It Moves, Zombie trail and Off day’s Grace we are tricked into thinking that are at least three or four guitar tracks when I suspect it’s just a single track of Hofland’s inimitable fingering. The slower tracks share an ominous quality that is sometimes emphasized by excellent string arrangements. Perhaps, like Hans Zimmer’s Inception, this sensation resonates the subconscious notion that everything is just a dream ready to collapse. A beautifully constructed dream it is, filled with great affection and regret. It almost makes you forget that after all these years Erik Hofland is still singing like a cartoon ghost pirate.