The best new albums this week

Our writers’ top albums from the current crop

ALBUM OF THE WEEK

HEALTH – DISCO4: PART II (Loma Vista)

Los Angeles based industrial-tinted noise rock auteurs, HEALTH, have operated on the outer edges of practically all scenes of modern alternative music since their initial 2005 inception. Originally formed as an art-punk project with minimal vocals, distorted instrumentation, mammoth percussion and unhinged live shows, their progressive shift towards a darker, more electronic inspired sound has been a sonic spectacle to behold.

Commissioned to score the Max Payne 3 video game soundtrack in 2012; the group found themselves facing down the barrel of a creative quandary – how to make their established sound benefit and elevate another piece of art. Leaning ever further into digital soundscapes, industrial metallics, and hushed, ethereal textures, the acclaimed score would set an entirely new trajectory that would finally take shape on 2015’s, ‘Death Magic’.

The much anticipated follow up to 2009’s, ‘Get Color’, utilised the vast array of lessons learned during their soundtrack crash course, to craft a work simultaneously more accessible than any preceding release, yet sinister in nuance and scope.

2019 saw the arrival of arguably their finest output to date, the critically lauded, ‘Vol 4: Slaves Of Fear’, which all but cemented their transition from frantic noise-punks to synth-laden coldwavers, but with a malevolent edge. 

With each previous full-length receiving its own companion remix album, dubbed the ‘HEALTH//DISCO’ series, the band have always managed to keep a toe dipped in the pool of electronic music, forging bonds with like-minded yet sonically disparate artists such as Crystal Castles and Pictureplane. It was this collaborative ethos that championed their name far beyond the LA punk circles and the confines of The Smell; the local art space and venue that would serve as studio for their self-titled 2007 debut.

In the years since, HEALTH have amassed an integral core fanbase, while their genre-fluid malleable nature has rewarded them with a revered, outlier status. When Jami Morgan of metalcore behemoths, Code Orange, provided his harsh guest vocals as a feature to visceral deep cut, ‘THE MESSAGE’, many raved about hearing the familiar, established, grinding neon hues of the band’s current sound invaded by an outside presence.

All of these potentially mitigating factors are likely linked to the decision for the fourth entry in the ‘DISCO’ saga to not simply settle for invited remixes from peers. Instead, artists further afield were tapped to write from the ground up with the trio, essentially using the moniker of, ‘DISCO4’, to materialise a double album collaborative project.

Part I of the ambitious undertaking dropped in 2020, and boasted an impressive roster of contributors including 100 gecs, JPEGMAFIA, Ghostemane, Full Of Hell and Xiu Xiu, to name but a few. And yes, there’s likely no other project where artists from circles such as hyperpop, alternative hip-hop, experimental rock and grindcore could all stand shoulder to shoulder in such cohesive fashion.

Part II has finally been unveiled after months of teases and singles, and expands the pallette to both more major and lesser known artists. The melancholic dread of opener, ‘DEAD FLOWERS’, features pop-metal megastar, Poppy, providing delicate lilts and harsh screams, sometimes in sync with the frankly beautiful voice of frontman Jake Duzsik. Immediately following is the long released lead single and Nine Inch Nails collab, ‘ISN’T EVERYONE’, which operates in such industrial, sultry, depressive tones that it’s practically impossible to discern which artist is appearing on whose song.

This is a trait that its predecessor equally exuded; the ability to absorb the audible aesthetic of their co-conspirator to craft pieces where the contributing factors blur together seamlessly. 

From the meshing of screamo-twisted pop and aggro, punk inspired hip-hop on the deranged, ‘MURDER DEATH KILL’ (featuring Ada Rook of pop experimentalists Black Dresses and underground alt hip-hop wunderkind PlayThatBoiZay), the thundering riffage of cyber-metal clusterbomb, ‘COLD BLOOD’ (featuring genre legends, Lamb Of God), to the crushing desolation of caustic doom-noise monolith, ‘AD 1000’ (featuring The Body), this second instalment delves even further into the more macabre visceral aspects of their core sound, bolstered by their guest’s own unique vision and approach. Even Perturbator makes a return appearance on the ambient menace of, ‘EXCESS’, contrasting the eighties darkwave of the previous instalment’s rattling, ‘BODY/PRISON’. 

With Part I opening with the only featureless track, ‘CYBERPUNK 2.0.2.0’; it seems rather fitting that Part II’s closer, ‘THESE DAYS 2021’, would wind down the experience in the same manner, offering a shoegaze spin on synth-pop serenity. It’s quite a melancholic note for such an expansive, harsh, challenging collection of collaborations to end on, yet also drives home the question of how much farther are HEALTH willing to push themselves outside of their comfort zone?

From violent brutality to vulnerable beauty, few acts sound as at home nestled right in the epicentre of such conflicting sonic chaos. Channelling noise-rock, industrial metal, coldwave, synth-pop, ambient, doom, shoegaze (the list goes on) motifs in a fashion that now feels like effortless child’s play, and boasting one of the most dynamic rosters of guest features from arguably any project of the 21st century (also including the likes of The Neighbourhood, Maenad Veyl, Street Sects, EKKSTACY), ‘DISCO4: PART II’, serves as an astonishing achievement, delivered with all of the downplayed attitude the trio have become renowned for. With their seventh full-length currently gestating, and marking a return to solo ventures, the Los Angeles noise-punks of old refuse to show any signs of respite, as they continue their journey to becoming one of the most vital, intrinsic, and endlessly creative artists in today’s modern spectrum of alternative, electronic and extreme music. 

ZB

Mall Grab – What I Breathe (Looking For Trouble)
Jordon Alexander, better known under the moniker of Mall Grab, seems to be on an endless hot streak, churning out single upon single, without ever missing a beat (no pun intended). 

It almost seems absurd that it’s taken until 2022 for a full-length LP to materialise from the Newcastle (Australia) born, London based DJ and producer. With the reverence his name garners, as well as the slew of constant bangers he regularly drops, one would be forgiven for assuming an album would have surely materialised by now. 

‘What I Breathe’, released through his own Looking For Trouble label, is a passion piece, labour of love, and culmination of essentially every sonic hoop the prolific 28 year old has jumped through since initially establishing the project after dropping out of university. 

Describing the work as “deeply personal and an exploration of all influences, sounds and sides of the Mall Grab project”, with no stringent, discernible style constantly adhered to; the cuts here weave, bob, pulse and pound, with truly retro-futurist takes on everything from techno, to deep house, jungle, and, even grime.

Singles like, ‘Spirit Wave’, and the club-centric, heavily percussive trance stabs of, ‘Metaphysical’, have already reached adored banger status since their early release, whereas the featured guest spots from Nia Archives (on the lush, ‘Patience’), Novelist and D Double E (the utterly thumping, ‘Times Change’), and most notably, lead single, ‘Understand’, boasting a feature from rising hardcore punk heroes Turnstile frontman Brendan Yates. The latter feels like a sonic continuation of the collaborative, ‘Share A View’ EP, released in 2020, which showcased both artist’s outlier tastes from their own primary work. Yates’ compressed harsh vocals are constantly smothered by flutters of synth, conjuring a subtle fracture of emotions.

Not content to rest on the laurels of his guests, however, Alexander provides his own vocals to the rhythmic vulnerability of ‘Without The Sun’, while the closer, ‘Lost In Harajuku’, toys with vocoded, wavy delivery, embellishing the tranquil sadboy clubgazing and sparse percussive clatters in a style reminiscent of modern emo-trap motifs.

Rather than committing to a single sonic throughline, the much hyped, long awaited debut LP from London’s adopted aussie son, is a playground of myriad influences, ranging from the dancefloor to the packed flat of the afterparty, and finally to the solitary walk home as the sun slowly creeps over the horizon. Equal parts raving abandon and introspective self-assessment, ‘What I Breathe’, is the sound of a dynamic, one-of-a-kind artist, choosing to have his sonic cake and eat it too. 

ZB

Imperial Triumphant – Spirit Of Ecstasy (Century Media)
New York avant-garde black metal jazz trio, Imperial Triumphant, are quite a challenging listen if that mouthful of a description didn’t indicate as such. Utilising the free-form rhythms of jazz to craft blackened, proggy dirges inspired by the sonic and aesthetic surroundings of their home city, has amassed the group a legion of avid followers while garnering lavish praise from several circles of alternative and extreme music.

‘Spirit Of Ecstasy’ serves as the grandiose follow up to 2020’s already immensely impressive, ‘Alphaville’, regarded by many to be one of the quintessential metal projects of that year. While the more obvious jazz motifs of their earlier material are still somewhat present, it’s the manner in which these disparate styles now coalesce and complement each other, that goes far beyond whatever sonic mission was initially set in place.

From the droning, meandering hypnosis cast by opener, ‘Chump Change’, with a grinding, angular riff buoyed by frantic blast beats, drum fills and groovy bass walks, there’s little time to come to full grips with the audible hallucinations before dissonant piano smashes engulf the audio for split seconds at a time. It’s this micro attention to details that constantly prevents the observer from fully enveloping themselves in the experience, likely in an attempt to help retain some semblance of sanity while you audibly witness a jazz-trio be dragged to the depths of the cosmos.

From the staccato piano twinkle in ‘Metrovertigo’, to the psych-jazz freak out intro of ‘Death On A Highway’, before awakening in the dark-ambient occult soundscapes of the authentically haunting, ‘Bezumnaya’, there’s an ocean of intrigue to delve into across the hour-long runtime.

Lead single and overnight meme, ‘Mercurius Gilded’, received heavy traction upon release due to its inclusion of smooth jazz saxophonist Kenny G (yes, you read that right), and his guitarist virtuoso son Alex Gorelick, trading off a myriad of notes in a genuine sax/guitar amalgam to cascade above the dissonance. One session with the mammoth 8-minute, ‘Tower Of Glory, City Of Shame’, which constantly shifts from lush, shoegaze melodies to distorted stabs of avant-noise interspliced with the cacophonous sounds of New York in full bustle, from radio reports to police sirens, before ending in cavernous crescendo, not only confirms the expansive, harrowing vision of Imperial Triumphant, but serves as a pristine example of their artistic malevolence.

A dizzying, hypotonic experience, ‘Spirit Of Ecstasy’, is an intimidating example of the dissolving of boundaries between avenues of extreme music, be they metallic, experimental or jazz-based. 

ZB

J Walk – Mellotronique (Before I Die)

Martin Fisher has been revelling in musical wonder for more than a minute. Alongside his work recorded as Martin Brew, the Manchester-based producer has been releasing under the J Walk moniker for well over two decades – initially recording alongside Martin Desai before, more recently, ploughing a solo furrow. J Walk material has arrived on labels including Pleasure, Wonderfulsound East West, and Hell Yeah! Recordings, generally pitched under the multi-faceted Balearic umbrella.

His latest ‘Mellotronique’ LP sees him continue his sonic adventures with an all-encompassing thrust as he veers through varying sundown hues, taking in moments of cod reggae, electro boogie, heads-down trip-hop and much more besides. Highlights come thick and fast throughout the synth-heavy collection, with luxuriant melodies and harmonic waves typifying the sumptuous soundscapes presented.

The sci-fi boogie reggae of opener ‘City Slicker’ makes a super strong start, with imaginative harmonies and scintillating bass combining over steady drums, while the power chords and delicate bells of ‘Hypercruiser’ maintain the allure. Electro funk arrives in the deviant form of ‘A World Someplace’ with its free-flow top line, growling bass and dusty drums. ‘Hologram Jam’ is a sunset guarantee, with tropical melodies dancing over snarling synth bass and space-age pads, before ‘Equinox Desire’ picks up the pace for a gently euphoric twilight celebration. There isn’t a dull moment across the LP, with J Walk gloriously displaying his far-reaching musical aptitude with each pearl of a track. Top Marks.

PC

Cryptopsy – Blasphemy Made Flesh (Hammerheart)

Few can debate that the nineties was easily the most vital decade in terms of death metal genre expansion. One of the several now iconic acts to make their debut during this era was French-Canadian virtuosos, Cryptopsy, whose 1994 full-length, ‘Blasphemy Made Flesh’, would lay down an incomparable blueprint going forward.

Combining a cerebral level of simultaneous brutality and bewildering technicality; the alien, complex, ever-shifting, near impenetrable nature of the material captivated and disturbed in equal measure, upon initial release.

Bolstered by drumming octopus, Flo Mounier’s penchant for inhuman blast beats, jazz flourishes and caustic disregard for time signatures, it was genre staples such as ‘Abigor’ and ‘Open Face Surgery’, that would ultimately lift the veil and expose entire legions to the decimating profundity of technical death metal.

Featuring former and founding lead vocalist, Lord Worm, whose frenetic, garbled, unintelligible grunting managed to make other voices in the scene sound tame by comparison, this undisputed extreme metal classic operates as both a powerful indicator of the esteemed tenure the Quebec five-piece would pursue, as well as a seminal centrepiece for the genre as a mutating entity.

ZB

Stick To Your Guns – Spectre (Pure Noise) 

California melodic hardcore stalwarts, Stick To Your Guns, make their long awaited return on the vicious, ‘Spectre.’ The first full-length from the band in half a decade, sees a creative leap from 2017’s seminal, ‘True View’, with a major lean into their more abrasive tendencies.

Frontman Jesse Barnett’s range fluctuates from melodious, vulnerable angst-ridden refrains to bruising, hardcore bellows and snarls, with his emotive delivery captaining the seamless blend of modern punk tropes.

From the anthemic venom of opener, ‘Weapon’, the band’s mission statement becomes clear, as well as elaborating on their near half-decade creative absence. Barnett has offered insight into the single’s messaging; dissecting the allure of the American dream only obtainable to a select few, while coming to terms with the skeletons of his home country’s past and the desire for vital change with longevity.

This battering ram momentum and earnest disillusionment with their home looms over the proceedings like the titular spectre, with mammoth bangers such as, ‘Hush’, exuding some of the heftiest, grooviest malevolence of their tenure, to date.

With tracks like, ‘A World To Win’, ‘Liberate’, and the despaired yet motivating lead single, ‘More Of Us Than Them’, it should be quite evident that this is a politically driven project, which for a modern melodic hardcore punk group hailing from the US, seems like an impossible shackle to currently break free from.

What makes ‘Spectre’ so accosting is its inward look at the influence of a political psychosphere and its near irreparable damage on one’s pride, security and peace of mind. It’s a refusal to come to terms with the current state of things, as systemic racism, corruption and greed cause both external and internal degrees of damage. In short, Stick To Your Guns have dropped one of the most pissed off records of the year.

ZB

This week’s reviewers: Zach Buggy, Patrizio Cavaliere.