Boy howdy, between Terminus, post-festival recoup, some personal time, AND a stat holiday it feels like an eternity since things were back to normal here at the ID:UD HQ, but this is the week where we try to get them just so, starting with a fresh batch of tracks. We’ll have a full run-down of all the goings on at Terminus in this week’s episode of the podcast: which veterans acquitted themselves admirably, and which young upstarts made a lasting impression? Wait ’til Thursday to find out, and check these tunes out in the meantime.
Twin Tribes get ready to sail the dark waves again.
Numb, “Redact”
The unexpected but very welcome news that Don Gordon was bringing Numb out of retirement came with a host of questions, chiefly what would the legendary Vancouver post-industrial project sound like in 2019. The first track we’ve heard from the soon to drop Mortal Geometry gives a strong hint at the answer: located more in the project’s industrial rock-tinged era, the song marries guitar leads, nice clean synth lines and busy bass into a dark, seething whole. No telling what the rest of the record will sound like (the Bandcamp copy promises trance elements and ambient interludes), but consider our appetite whetted.
Twin Tribes, “Heart & Feather”
With a handful of repressings and re-presentations, Twin Tribes’ debut Shadows has certainly made the rounds and left a sizable impression over the last year or so, but we’re keen to hear what the Texas duo have on deck for their sophomore LP. Ceremony will be released by our friends at Negative Gain, and the first track from it to flitter its way online has all of the chiming guitars and ambiance we’ve come to love about Twin Tribes, albeit with a slightly more strident tone. Can’t wait to finally catch them live at Cold Waves.
Klack, “Layover”
Literally recorded on a Layover at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport during Klack’s voyage home from their triumphant set at Terminus festival, here’s “Layover”. Wisconsin’s hottest new beat act have made retro-fun their calling card and this track is no exception; despite its brief gestation of only a few hours the song’s airport samples and catchy synth leads have our toes tapping and heads nodding. Grab the song and keep your eyes peeled for something special with Klack here on I Die: You Die in the near future.
Analfabetism, “Kråkeld”
We’ve come to expect an especially cold and misnthropic blend of noise and death industrial from Fredrik Djurfeldt’s Analfabetism project, and so when new LP Sjön där hon dränkte sina djur (that’s “The Lake Where She Drowned Her Animals”, for those scoring at home) identifies itself as “Unusually depressing Scandinavian music,” well, we’re guessing we’re in for a rough ride, even by Djurfeldt’s standards. The ritual loops and groans on this piece do nothing to assuage that premonition.
Fractions, “Millenials”
Fractions’ debut EP Control was one of the best things to come out of the techno-EBM explosion of the last few years. The Prague based duo’s style was certainly influenced by classic body music sounds and ideas, but far from simply aping classic basslines and drum patterns, they dipped deep into the style’s alternately austere and aggressive energy. New EP Scars of Love visits many of the same places, with a similarly dark and atmospheric outlook, perfect music for discerning DJs and dancefloors worldwide.
Black Dresses, “Static”
The profile of Toronto’s Black Dresses seems to have grown exponentially every time we check in and see what the radically queer, hopelessly anxious, and uncannily creative pair have whipped up. New LP Love And Affection For Stupid Little Bitches is a full-blown Bandcamp phenomenon at this point, which is nothing short of inspiring. As before, we invite you (especially our older readers) to check them out and see just how gonzo the youngsters of today are.
