Moth – Modern Madness

Another solid EP by Melbourne's Moth, this time coming across a bit less synth-heavy than on their last one. Once again this takes some cues from familiar garage punk acts like Useless Eaters, Ex-Cult, Ausmuteants and early Teenanger, as well as some of the Warttman Inc.-affiliated groups like Research Reactor Corp., Set-Top Box. Also, in Digital Crisis, their sound takes an unexpected turn towards dark post punk of the Exit Group, Diät, Rank/Xerox variety.

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The Archaeas – Archaeas

Following a 7" on Total Punk earlier this year, we now get a full length taste of this Louisville trio's raw energy via another highly reputable garage label, Goner Records. Don't expect anything clever or original about their music. Instead, expect something very familiar done exceptionally well - an undiluted blast of straight, stupid and simple, '77-flavored, balls-to-the-walls unapologetic garage punk mayhem.

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Diode – Diode

Some Los Angeles group consisting of a truly all-star garage lineup delivers a pleasantly quirky mix of garage-, post- and synth punk, sometimes coming across like a crossbreed of Nots and Pow!, or like Primitive Calculators-meet-Useless Eaters in other moments.

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Brandy – The Gift Of Repetition

It's quite fitting that the first-ever 12" record on US garage überlabel Total Punk starts with a thumping groove reminiscent of ISS, whose most recent EP might have been the last 7" ever to be released on that label - the transition into a new Total Punk era couldn't feel any smoother really, reassuring us that despite a change in format, the label's spirit is still the same, is alive and well. Grown up a bit, maybe. New York garage noise group Brandy sound their most compact and forceful on their sophomore LP after having cut their teeth already on a rough and brilliant debut album and on another 7" - guess on what label that one came out... More ever before you can feel some distinct Feedtime influence, while in their most abstract moments there's some kind of a Spray Paint vibe going on. But even more than that, i'm reminded of contemporary post punk acts Knowso and NAG, both of whom had released records on Total Punk in the past - just amazing how things come full circle here.

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Satanic Togas – X-Ray Vision

Another release courtesy of Satan. Thanx a lot Satan, we're all big fans of your work over here at 12XU. The newest longplayer on Sydney's exquisite Warttman Label along with italian powerhouse Goodbye Boozy amazes with another fun, fast-paced twenty minutes of oddball garage- and synth punk that has quite a lot in common with other Warttman acts á la Research Reactor Corp., Dot.com, Set-Top Box. Other than that, comparisons to early Useless Eaters or Ausmuteants don't seem too far fetched either.

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OK Satán – Expanded Horizon

Here's some ultra-simplistic, drum machine driven garage punk shit by a Copenhagen duo, catering only to our most animalistic instincts. Style-wise this falls somewhere in the neighborhood of Buck Biloxi and the Fucks, S.B.F. and Dr. Mix & The Remix - just imagine even further dumbed down versions of each. Absolutely perfect, i love it.

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Cells – They Drew First Blood

A new EP by Maestro Voltaire's second most prolific project Cells. Need i say more? Seven more gems of gloriously fucked up, blown out hardcore punk joy.

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Vintage Crop – Serve To Serve Again

Considering the Melbourne group's previous track record, i didn't expect their third full length to be anything less than superb... and surprise: This is yet another very strong record occupying a spot of their own in this particular niche at the junction of playful smartypants garage-, post- and art punk. Worthy new premium fodder for admirers of Uranium Club, Pinch Points, Reality Group... you might also find a bit of Sauna Youth or Patti in there.

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Silicone Values – I Hate Fascist Rock And Roll /​ Dumb Luck

Two delicious treats of endlessly charming highest quality DIY Punk by a group from Leeds, not too far off from other Television Personalities-influenced bands of recent times like Neutrals, Suburban Homes, Freak Genes.

Knowso – Rare Auld Trip / Specialtronics Green Vision

Covid year turns out to be quite a productive one for Cleveland garage-/post punk group Knowso who recently unleashed both a new EP and LP, their second and third releases this year alone. Sonically, this is a seamless continuation of their previous awesomeness - minimalist, abstract Post Punk bearing some similarity to Nag, Brandy, Constant Mongrel or more recent Usless Eaters. What sets them apart is the sheer efficiency of their arrangements and performance, kinda like their riffs and beats are purposefully designed to play nice with conveyor belts, be easily stackable on pallets, best moved around with a forklift.

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