New releases this week: Leftfield

Review: Formed in 1975, the British industrial group Throbbing Gristle - Genesis P-Orridge, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Chris Carter, and Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson - had pushed sonic and cultural boundaries over the edge, with their transgressive performances, experimental electronics, and confrontational aesthetics. After disbanding in 1981, TG's reunion in the early 2000s was met with both excitement and skepticism; rather than nostalgia, they continued evolving, creating new works like Part Two: The Endless Not (2007), which managed to scupper expectations beyond the mere expectation that they scupper expectations. This Berlin performance, on the cusp of a new year, captures their raw, improvised power, in the space of five tracks which would be released on the 2007 record. Haunting, mechanical, and utterly uncompromising.

Review: The then recently reformed Throbbing Gristle's 2005 New Year's Eve performance at Berlin's Volksbuhne pulses with the band's trademark intensity, presenting a vivid snapshot of their uncompromising live ethos, immortalising a key moment in their ongoing evolution, where they intertwine iconic tracks like 'Convincing People', 'Slug Bait', and 'Hamburger Lady' with newer materialigiving a taste of what was to come in their first album in 27 years. The show also marked their first encore in over two decades, a rare treat for fans. As one of the originators of industrial music, their influence looms large, with this performance underscoring their continued commitment to pushing boundaries, both musically and culturally. The shock value of Throbbing Gristle has worn off, but the questions they raised about the nature of art, performance and audience remain compelling, and the music remains as instantly visceral and comfrontational as ever. Their legacy is woven through the dark industrial fabric of countless acts that followed, but the message has always been clear: creativity without compromise is the truest form of rebellion.