If nothing else, it's at least been a great few days for friends of oldschool synth punk action including not only a couple of essential The Steves reissues via Iron Lung records but also these two beauties from Oakland and Berlin respectively. Nasty World kinda go about their stuff like it's 1981 or something, conjuring up a vibe kinda like a wild mixture between Screamers, Devo, Units, Visitors, Nervous Gender or Minimal Man but also not quite dissimilar to more recent shit of the Isotope Soap, Powerplant, Lost Packages or Freak Genes variety. All of that could equally fit the description of that Lohn der Angst record but in their case, i'd add a good deal of Primitive Calculators on top as well as a couple of german influences ranging from ancient DAF to more recent acts like Puff! and Pisse, as well as some distinct kraut-/motorik vibes in tracks such as Warteschleife and Grelles Gesicht.
Though largely reflecting on current themes of our society being overwhelmed with the tribulations and challenges our ever changing hi-tech world keeps throwing at us, the sounds on this NYC artist's most recent cassette feels more like a flashback to the abrasive, confrontational early days of late '70s / early '80s synth- and electro punk, noise and power electronics experimentation in the vein of shit á la Primitive Calculators, Nervous Gender, Screamers, Units or Minimal Man - a noisy bastard more concerned with overwhelming the senses than with nuance or finesse while still coming across surprisingly catchy and hypnotic most of the time.
Lately it appears as if barely ever a couple of weeks go by without a new release by synth punk sensation Klint from Schleswig, Germany. No introductions necessary at this point i guess! Following the pretty rough split EP with Repulsion Switch, here we get another strong batch of tunes predominantly on the rather catchy, often viciously danceable end of the spectrum.
Another beauty from italian powerhouse label Goodbye Boozy Records. You might remember Buenos Aires group repulsion switch from their 2019 demo and a bunch of EPs they put out since then. Here, we've got easily their strongest batch of tracks so far of their refreshingly simple yet equally explosive, garage-flavored oldschool hardcore sound. Another known quantity here at 12XU headquarters is synth punk guru Klint from Schleswig, Germany who takes charge of side b here with his usual workmanlike precision, curious experimantation and a new couple of tunes mostly on the rougher edge of the spectrum, perfectly complementing the RS tracks.
Funny what a few years of eggpunk-related insanity do to your brain. When Channel 83's previous EP dropped in 2019, i considered this shit to be pretty far out there and totally bonkers while in '23, i can't help but think they fit right in with the current wave of quirky synthpunk acts. I don't consider that a bad thing at all though. These new songs rip!
It's been a whopping five years since we last heard of this Los Angeles group. Their first LP (duh!) is a bit heavier on the hardcore- and garage punk side of things after their older shit had been leaning stronger into its synth-/electro punk tendencies. Those relentlessly brutal electric beats are still front and center here though, giving especially the epic opening shot Open World kind of an industrial-tinged, cursed Ausmuteants-meet-Big Black vibe… with additional overtones of Crisis Man maybe?
Not a Warttman release but still a pleasantly familiar sound of mildly egg- and electrified garage punk perpetrated by some of the usual suspects who also gave us the likes of Research Reactor Corp., Satanic Togas and The Gobs. Twelve restless caffeine pills you might compare to any of these bands, but which also wouldn't seem out of place next to groups á la S.B.F., Cosas Ilegales, Witch Piss or Ghoulies.
Our weekly dose of eggpunk insanity comes courtesey of some mysterious Stockholm act, way too short but potent and catchy as fuck nonetheless. Friends of shit á la Nubot555, Egg Idiot, Prison Affair, Set-Top Box, Nuts and Pringue, among others, will surely approve of this.
After the more vicious attack of their 2020 debut album, Mexico City group Cosas Illegales take a sharp turn towards a more melodic, somewhat eggpunk-related approach to their electrically driven garage punk. As before, groups such as S.B.F., Race Car and Kid Chrome might serve as useful comparisons but as of late, i'd add stuff like Prison Affair and Set-Top Box to that list as well as a spoonful of Metal Urbain / Dr. Mix and the Remix.
The noise on this debut EP by New York (?) group Factory City Children comes accross like a somewhat blackened variant of garage-/electro punk noisemakers á la S.B.F., Stalins Of Sounds, Kid Chrome and The Gobs with a smidge of Sick Thoughts thrown in for good measure. Having been previously released pretty much under everyone's radar as a tape, Toxic State Records now has it either as a 7" or a way overpriced digital download, well knowing we'll pay the ten bucks anyway because we're all addicted to the shit. Capitalism fuck yeah!
