Stranded

***"Following a string of boisterous post-punk and dance EPs, Stranded (aka Atlanta-based artist and producer David Mansfield) is back with his first full-length, Midnight Sun. The album also marks the relaunch of Double Phantom Records, Mansfield’s underground label, which has released music from Atlanta bands like Algiers, Balkans and Carnivores. Celine’s Dilemma, his first EP as Stranded, arrived in 2018, which was followed by a pair of EPs in 2020, Long Dusk and Post Meridian. The trio of EPs traverse house, disco and post-punk, emitting both joy and agitation as their dissonant instrumental layers snake in and out of one another. Midnight Sun is a bit of a departure from these dense electronic collages, opting instead for a guitar-based sound, which results in Stranded’s most straightforward release yet. But Stranded hasn’t abandoned his left-field quirks or broad influences—his rhythm-driven post-punk still folds in dance-inflected beats, bubbling synth tones and cold vocals. Perhaps the biggest change is that Mansfield occasionally swaps a brightly colored sonic palette for a darker, more grim one. Midnight Sun is slightly ominous, particularly the bluesy gothic-rock number 'The Last Word,' the electro-meets-Bauhaus opener 'A Testimony' and the harsh skronking of 'Crossed Lines.' However, the interlocking guitar mazes of 'Hesitation' add some ribbons of color, as do the affecting chorus of 'Wayward Haunted' and the cascading twinkles of 'Fallen.' With Mansfield at the helm of all the vocals and instrumentals, Midnight Sun is another thought-provoking, danceable addition to Stranded’s diverse back catalog."—Paste Magazine