La Di Da Di
Without a singer, La Di Da Di puts all the attention on Battles' instrumental interaction. Guitar and keyboards borrow each other's sounds, short figures repeat, and John Stanier's drums keep the music moving. The approach produces several strong grooves while showing how important a recognizable idea remains within the activity.
The Yabba provides a convincing opening. It gives the unusual sounds room to develop before the playing becomes more tightly connected. The different layers respond to one another and maintain a clear sense of tension. It is the kind of arrangement in which the band's technical ability serves a useful musical purpose.
Dot Net and FF Bada have a more immediate appeal. Their rhythms remain firm enough to move along to, while small melodic figures and processed sounds keep changing the direction. There is plenty to hear without a need to follow every detail separately.
Elsewhere that balance becomes less reliable. Some passages add more sounds while allowing the rhythmic centre to become less prominent. The playing stays inventive, but not every addition strengthens the song. Battles' ability to make complicated interaction feel immediate makes the busier, less focused stretches particularly noticeable.
Megatouch demonstrates the range of sounds available to the group. Its shift towards a jerky, funk-like rhythm gives those strange textures a clearer direction again. Even so, the overall running time feels generous. A few of the diversions would have made a better impression with less space.
La Di Da Di has plenty of ideas and musical ability. Its strongest tracks connect those qualities to an understandable movement. Beyond those highlights, it sometimes demands more attention than it returns. There is much to discover for listeners interested in carefully arranged instrumental rhythms, but the album could have benefited from a more selective approach.
