The Umbrellas – Write It In The Sky
Write It In The Sky 7" releases June 24th via Slumberland Records.
Belly Jelly – The Universal Language
A new LP by Belly Jelly aka Sean Alberts of Skull Cult, Dummy & QQQL fame (…and not of Safety Net, as i wrongly suspected at some point) always means a fresh new caffeine rush as he adds his trademark Skull Cult insanity to a breed of synth- and garage punk bearing at least some resemblance to household names of the Ausmuteants, Isotope Soap, Andy Human & The Reptoids, Research Reactor Corp., Erik Nervous or Useless Eaters variety.
Album-Stream →Kat Haus – Flesh
While this canadian dude's previous EP was plenty of fun already, his newest one is even better. Eccentric and at times rather kinky garage punk this is, kinda like a more laid-back Erik Nervous or Liquids with some Modern Lovers-esque proto punk vibes or a more energetic variant of the recent Peace De Résistance album. Then again, Who? comes across as kind of a goth/dark wave/dance punk hybrid, which he also manages to pull off smoothly.
Album-Stream →Die TV – Side A
Fun DIY punk shit by some dude based in Marmora, New Jersey, oscillating between the poles of electrically driven garage- /synth punk and bizarro post punk with some quirky, over-the top goth stylings. Think of a mix between S.B.F., Set-Top Box, Stalins of Sound or early Kid Chrome… fans of The Spits or Isotope Soap shouldn't miss out on this as well.
Album-Stream →Rip Room – Alight and Resound
This San Francisco group just delivered a stunningly confident debut LP made up of smart post punk and postcore, bursting with elaborate, dramaturgically dense song structures, tightly interlocking grooves and arrangements. In the contemporary landscape you might compare bits and pieces of this record to an expansive cluster of groups like Batpiss, Meat Wave, Bloody Gears, Stuck, Bench Press, Noughts, Lithics or Tunic. Going a bit further back in time, you might aswell recognize the obligatory bit of Drive Like Jehu, Fugazi or Jawbox, even find some Wire-esque flourishes in there if you just listen closely enough.
Album-Stream →3D & The Holograms – VR Execution
Promo EP releases June 6th via Goodbye Boozy Records.
Billiam – Turrets
Turrets Over Graigie Burn releases June 6th via Goodbye Boozy Records.
Osees – Funeral Solution
A Foul Form releases August 12th via Castle Face Records.
Gonk – Crocodile Socks
Fuck Money – Heart Throb
Poison Ruïn – Not Today, Not Tomorrow
Dungeon punk's chief ambassadors bestow upon us the gift of three new battle cries and oh boy, are they getting more epic, determined, elaborate and ridiculous with each release… and i'm all down for it!
Mitraille – Mitraille
The Belgian garage punks' first full length release is hands down their strongest effort so far, a bottomless well of demented fun somewhere inbetween more straightforward garage fare á la Sick Thoughts, Shitty Life, Dadar and the ever-so-slightly more eleborate/artsy Ex-Cult, Tyvek or Shark Toys variety.
Album-Stream →L’appel Du Vide – Abwärtsspirale
An excellent dispatch from the Chemnitz post punk scene mostly evoking comparisons to Berlin based acts á la Diät, Pigeon or Pretty Hurts, although you might also find some semblance of Stuttgart's Karies in there. The clear highlights on here are the almost balladesque songs Delirium and Das Programm, reaching melodic heights akin to the very best of Sievehead, Puritans or the most recent Criminal Code LP.
Album-Stream →Beta Máximo – Spain Vice
Spanish garage poppers Beta Máximo already left a rather positive impression on me with their couple of fairly recent EPs but with this one, they're finally nailing it if you ask me, striking a perfect balance between snappy garage punk and surf-infused power pop - kinda like a somewhat less eggy, less lo-fi incarnation of Barcelona group Prison Affair.
Album-Stream →Flexï – Nothing
The second extended play by this New York group is a new load of highly concentrated post punk bliss, sure to energize admirers of powerhouse acts such as Rank/Xerox, Marbled Eye, Nag, Negative Space, Knowso or early Institute. There also appears to be a slight noise rock edge at play here, kinda reminding me of shit like Brandy or Cutie.
Album-Stream →