[Stanshant]

Along with Loch Raven, this is the archetypal AC song for me. Deathly melody, cuts right to the core. It's eminently reworkable. Every version is incredible, with the Other Music and Hollinndagain versions probably my favourite. Impossible to choose, really. It's nothing more than its sum components but they are interpreted differently whenever the song appears. The Danse version is astonishing, though, so claustrophobic. The entire song sounds like it's coming from inside a matchbox but the sonic environment is enormous and ghostly. The organ hum and Panda's vocals processed like a contract mic. It's an incredible recording and series of decisions. The song in every version has a colossal weight and energy considering it is a total dirge. It makes me want to headbang.

If you love Lablakely Dress, I know everything I need to know about you and how you fuck. Congratulations.

[speen]

Hard agree with all of this. The full recording of the performance that made it onto Hollinndagain is probably my single favorite live recording of the band. When avey's HEYYYA HEYYA chant grows overwhelmingly intense, the feedback cuts through, and panda's longing voice in the back... it's just too much. this song is too much

definitely the archetypal AC song imo

[speen]

Underrated touch on the studio recording: someone tapping a gong throughout the song. Sounds like the same gong used for bad crumbs

[Hellomark]

100% agree, and it even stayed amazing throughout the merriweather era when they would play it before fireworks. It's incredible how well lablakely dress and essplode matched with fireworks, songs written like 5 years apart. But the earlier versions had the most power I'd say. Some of the best panda vocals ever.

[scrambledgreggs]

Danse version is my favorite because of all the vocal effects, every element of the song sounds super precise and creates quite a mood, though the Other Music version is probably the best showcase of the melody itself

[jetski]

I kinda don't like the concept of an archetypical AC song since they have such a variety of music but I can see the case for it with this song. It embodies the qualities that I love most about their music. It has an elemental quality, like they're channeling some otherworldly energy through the music (sounds cliche but not sure how to else to describe it lol), and also the quality of feeling both alien and familiar/comforting at the same time

Stan I liked how you described it as nothing more than its sum components, just interpreted in many ways. I love the way Lablakley Dress (like many of their songs) actually has a pretty simple structure that they can stretch out and do so much with. It's just 2 chords repeated and a couple voices, and then whatever other sonic embellishments they feel like adding. The Other Music version is one of my favorite reworks because they change the key in a way that really alters the mood, but it's still just 2 chords and it still just as powerful as the original

Also love the lyrics. Just such an AC song - especially the title lol, so good

[Tropic]

Looove Maroon 5's version

[terrestrialjane]

This song really puts me in the mood

Such a beautiful track

[Stanshant]

My wife is out but I've put on my wanking glove tonight, let's put it that way. Hardwank society 2k17 rollover membership.

[terrestrialjane]

Man if I had a wife I'd give her a good wanking

[roopn]

Fully agree stan this song is a straight stunner

I've always felt Winter's Love is another transcendent AC track. But not in the same way as lablakely dress. I feel like it has one of those melodies that feels like it's existed forever, and the band simply unearthed it.

[speen]

roopn wrote:

I've always felt Winter's Love is another transcendent AC track. But not in the same way as lablakely dress. I feel like it has one of those melodies that feels like it's existed forever, and the band simply unearthed it.

that's one of the most difficult to capture and exciting things when it comes to writing melodies. AC are really good at that, I feel like they have a bunch of songs that seem to have ancient melodies that they "tapped into" instead of writing. i feel that way about a lot of their early stuff (i see you pan, moo rah rah rain)

I also feel like Noah is coming back to that with his new stuff. That melody at the end of flight and "chorus" of part of the math also feels like it's always existed, and Noah's just recalling it and using it here

[Stanshant]

Brilliantly verbalised, I totally agree about their melodic sensibility, and I really get your examples, too.

[yoyoyoyoy]

But what IS a lablakely dress anyhow?

[Chubby_Dork]

The Hollinndagain version of Lablakely Dress is one of my favorite songs ever

[Fovrodi]

Oh hey meant to post here for a long time. Lablakely Dress is haunting and beautiful. It maybe didn’t click 100% until other music (then again Danse was a single piece to me for a long time).

[Stanshant]

I didn't actually realise for a long time that the Other Music version was Lablakely Dress! Maybe because I also didn't listen to Hollinndagain past Forest Gospel and seldom touched Danse besides Essplode. Seems inconceivable now.

[popeye]

Stanshant wrote:

I didn't actually realise for a long time that the Other Music version was Lablakely Dress! Maybe because I also didn't listen to Hollinndagain past Forest Gospel and seldom touched Danse besides Essplode. Seems inconceivable now.

me niether, for some reason on my download it's untitled.

how great is this band that they have three different moods of a single song?

it's kind of a soothing listen on the danse manatee experience considering it's placement towards the end. the way that record sounds just makes it really easy for its feeling to come through, although not as strongly as on essplode, but still, you can kinda tell it's their attempt at a sensual song or whatever. even though it's pretty creepy. danse manatee is just a pretty sexy album, man.

[tuvin diesel]

lablakely dress is easily one of the best songs anco has ever done, not just for the song itself but how different it is across incarnations. from the gentle version on other music, to the supremely understated one on danse, to the manic hollind, and finally the jammin' live-mashup with "fireworks". wonderful.

(if it weren't for the character limit, my username would be "william lablakely dress")

[Stanshant]

I've been living through this song again the last couple of days. The Other Music version is one of the most erotic things I've ever heard. Swells and lulls, moments of soporific peace which drift and then ecstatic yearning yelps. Pure sensation, no thought.

LIFE CAN BE UNBEARABLY GOOD

Thank you all for understanding and sharing this with me.

[roopn]

Ur beautiful stan

[Stanshant]

Does this bro listen to Lablakely Dress?

Yes, if you you're referring to my little brother who has fallen in love with AC without my input and I'm extremely happy about it.