Browsing Tag

Electronic Punk

Head Wound annihilated the airwaves with their electro-punk hit, D.B.V.T.Y

Posted on 24 November 2024

On November 15th, Head Wound stormed the alt-punk scene with their joint EP with the local act Soft Exit. Head Wound’s contribution to the Split EP will undoubtedly cause plenty of people to check if Mike Patton has spawned another moniker.

The frenetically electric opening track, D.B.V.T.Y, is a rollercoaster of transgressions, from the seductive electronic opening salvo which throws back to the salacious appeal of Alec Empire to the prowling basslines that echo Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster to the Fantomas-esque outburst of sheer insanity which chews up typical time signatures and spits them out as relentless attacks of glitchy garage punk.

As the ferocious synthesis of punk, post-hardcore and math rock veers to its outro, you realise you never knew the true definition of aural intensity until you witnessed the juggernautical power of Head Wound. The Kuwait-based powerhouse isn’t just pushing boundaries, they’re launching an all-out assault on them until they’re bruised, broken and barely distinguishable.

Stream D.B.V.T.Y as part of Head Wound’s debut LP on all major platforms, including Spotify, Bandcamp and Apple Music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Slip into the hypersonic vortex of Peach Giraffe’s latest experimental track, Intertwined

Posted on 21 March 2024
https://youtu.be/naEFngCu_2w?si=RpNo9ZUkg64hUqLS

Peach Giraffe’s new single, “Intertwined,” is a masterful blend of skate punk, hyper-pop, trap nuances, and a touch of Arcade Fire, creating a vortexical kaleidoscope of avant-garde electronica. The grungy and antagonised vocal lines sink into this eclectic mix, stitching “Intertwined” with a mind-altering amalgam of aural aesthetics.

This daring combination cements Peach Giraffe as one of the most bold, indomitable, and fearlessly innovative artists in the alternative music scene. As genre lines blur in “Intertwined,” Peach Giraffe’s commitment to sonically visualising emotional themes shines through. The single is a lyrically poetic exposition of a relationship where distance doesn’t necessitate disconnection, despite the ambiguous parameters that could easily send the mind into a spiral with too much contemplation.

Peach Giraffe’s approach to music is an unforced journey of experimentation, spanning over a decade. His process involves piecing together a puzzle of sounds and ideas, driven not by genre constraints but by spontaneous inspiration. “Intertwined” is a testament to this organic and free-flowing approach to music creation. It’s a track that doesn’t just fit into the alternative music scene; it stands out as a bold statement of Peach Giraffe’s unique and unbridled creativity.

Intertwined reached the airwaves on March 10; stream the official music video on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Bag of Cats ignited a firestorm of twisted genre contortions in their dance-punk hit, Devil at My Houseparty

Posted on 26 February 2024

If you never got over the disbanding of the Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, wipe your tears with the kinetic rhythms in the seminal single from the Welsh dance-punk duo, Bag of Cats.

Devil at My Houseparty, featuring Will Griff, is a mind-mashing blend of psych, garage rock and proto-punk, all pulled together by punk-pierced guitar loops and alt-electronica synthetics that augment the anthemic track to the nines.

Between the rolling rhythms, distorted blues riffs, and caustically infectious electronic elements inspired by the likes of LCD Soundsystem and Jamie T, Devil at My Houseparty is a firestorm of twisted genre contortions that will make your pulse pound and get the adrenaline flowing.

The magnetic appeal of the duo comprising Sophie Holliday and Barney Williams doesn’t end there; lyrically and vocally, Bag of Cats, couldn’t be more ensnaring. They’ve perfected the formula of playfully roguish swagger. The mischievously jocular vibe is definitively rock n roll, just not rock n roll as you’ve known it before.

In the process of giving the Welsh music scene more than it bargained for, Bag of Cats has garnered a staunch fanbase which only seems to grow with every release and livewire performance.

Devil at My Houseparty is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Face the wrath of Moose Wrench’s synthesised surrealism through their latest single, Ginnel Dick

Posted on 18 December 2023
Not Dead Yet by Moose Wrench

Moose Wrench, a Leeds-based alternative outfit, propelled us into a vortex of macabre synthetics with their latest single, Ginnel Dick, from their debut album, Not Dead Yet. This track is an audacious escapade into the realms of electro-cyberpunk, infused with a Lynchian nightmare aesthetic and Kafkaesque surrealism. The song is a cacophony of genre-bending sounds that merge to form a unique auditory experience, making Moose Wrench a standout in the “dad-bod alt-core” scene, which they created because no other genre pigeon-hole is wide enough for the sheer insanity that ensues once you hit play.

After an 80s horror-adjacent intro, the single opens with a punchy, rolling beat reminiscent of Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, setting the tone for what is to unfold. As the track progresses, it spills over into a psychedelically dark atmosphere, transforming the listening experience into something akin to a séance rather than a mere song. The symphonic synthscape towards the outro echoes the dramatic flair of a Cradle of Filth release, adding an operatic depth to the already rich sonic tapestry.

It’s a masterfully twisted orchestration that mocks conventional structures and sounds and is a testament to the trio’s ability to confront and creatively express life’s annoyances, from poor driving to the existential dread of mid-life. It is a must-listen for those seeking a fresh, unconventional sound.

Ginnel Dick will debut across all major streaming platforms on December 18th; in the run-up to the official release, purchase the single on Bandcamp.  

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Empty Page affront the new normal with their 90s nostalgia-implanting electro-punk anthem, Dry Ice

Posted on 20 November 2022

Rather than releasing a sonic sign of the stagnant times, The Empty Page protested our drab and dog-eared-with-anxiety modernity by letting pulsating synths guide the way towards 90s nostalgia in their electro-punk hit, Dry Ice.

Lyrically, you’re reminded of how it felt to be stripped of inhibition, sharing the euphoria with strangers long before they could request you on Facebook and never speak to you again and even longer before the pandemic left its mark on our social appetites while the dizzying guitars drop off-kilter momentum around the gravelly pulls of the post-punk bass strings.

It’s a major shift from the Manchester-based outfit’s previous sound that has been lauded by just about everyone that matters. The duo has ventured into their The Julie Ruin era, and we couldn’t be here for it more. After all, synths were the true gateway to punk and DIY (FIGHT ME), and this new anxiously frenetic earworm that will pull Polaroids of strobe-lit hedonism towards your temporal lobe is the ultimate affront to the new normal.

Dry Ice will officially release on November 18th. Watch the official video on YouTube, add it to your Spotify playlists, or support the band by purchasing the single on Bandcamp. 

Follow the Empty Page on Facebook, Instagram & TikTok. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Belly has dropped another feat of riotous dance-pop with her sophomore single ‘Taking What I Want’.

Posted on 14 May 2021
https://soundcloud.com/iambelly/taking-what-i-want

After the success of her dance-pop debut, up and coming alternative artist Belly is here with her entrancingly riotous pop hip hop anthem, ‘Taking What I Want’,

With similarities to Neuroticfish’s industrial-electronica production style mixed with nods to the fearless icon, Lauryn Hill, Taking What I Want is an act of filthy unapologetic aural rebellion. Fleeting reminiscences may be there, but everything about Belly feels authentically candid. From her constraint-less sonic style to the galvanising energy she brings vocally to the playfully antagonising vocals.

Even if Taking What I Want was a downtempo track, it would have still left me stoked for finding such a charismatic punk-pop-hip-hop pioneer. Taking What I Want is the antithesis of plastic pop.

You can check out Taking What I Want for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast