The continual metamorphoses of Baltimore fixtures Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak and Flock of Dimes) and Jon Ehrens (White Life, most notably) can be hard to keep track of. I have to hope, though, that their recent coming together as Dungeonesse sticks, because it works well. As Flock of Dimes, Wasner’s efforts displayed an uncomfortable tension: A song such as “Prison Bride” was so rooted in the aesthetics of Wye Oak that one could wonder how it was a Flock of Dimes song. On the other hand, “Replica” was an unabashed Robyn rip-off (though a pretty good one). But Ehrens, it seems, is giving Dungeonesse a good bit of cohesiveness. Though Dungeonesse culls its sound from sources as diverse as HI-NRG, classic R&B, and saccharine 90s pop, it is held together by a love of dancey fun. Keep an eye out for Dungeonesse’s first full-length album May 14.
