Fourth Dimension US Vinyl & CDs

Review: Originally formed in 1977 (the year punk supposedly died), the Mark Perry-led collective known as Alternative TV are often cited as one of, if not, the first act to marry reggae rhythms to punk rock motifs. Refusing to rest on these laurels for long, however, the group would go on to utterly defy easy categorisations over the ensuing decades, with their 1979 second album Vibing Up the Senile Man (Part One) eschewing much of the anthemic mayhem of their debut The Image Has Cracked, in favour of a more experimental free-jazz form. This early anecdotal evidence is vital when attempting to unpack their new eleventh LP Direct Action. Following on from 2015's Opposing Forces, and serving as their first project of new material in almost a decade, this latest collection opts to be their most challenging, impenetrable and unwelcoming yet. Utilising tape loops, isolated guitar passages, minimal vocals and an overall industrial-leaning quality, the fact that the group so many decades ago had their first rehearsals at Throbbing Gristle's Industrial Records studio seems like no great revelation in retrospect. Unconcerned with listener expectation or radioplay, Direct Action demands animated response yet refuses to offer any helping hand down its path of caustic, alien sonics.

Review: This reissued album from Justin K. Broadrick follows the sold-out 2022 CD release from Fourth Dimension Records. Since 1983, Broadrick has worked under the Final moniker, evolving from power electronics to a more expansive yet still intense sound over the years. This record features nine tracks all named and numbered after the title and they delve into murky textures, crepuscular guitars, harsh noise and dissonant bursts. The relentless, unforgiving sound captures anger and despair and prove Broadrick's ability to transform early power electronics into contemporary, boundary-pushing forms with deeper emotional resonance.