Robyn Writes

Laptop Rebels – Why 2014’s Electronic Music Was More Punk Than Punk

Punk [noun] Music that eschews perceived excesses of mainstream rock. Often fast, hard-edged music, typically with short songs, stripped-down instrumentation and political anti-establishment lyrics. Punk embraces a DIY ethic with many bands self-producing recordings and distributing them through informal channels.

There were some stunning guitar-based punk rock releases this year from the likes of Against Me, The Lawrence Arms and Brawlers. With short, sharp songs, perceptive lyrics and intense live performances throughout, the spirit of ‘traditional’ punk is alive and well in such bands. But the term gets more and more safe every year with the likes of tweenpoppers 5 Seconds Of Summer appearing in alternative rock press, the proliferation of misogyny in pop punk lyrics and t-shirt designs, or even emo faves Real Friends’ continuing refusal to grow up (I loved the EP but the album – and their Twitter feed – is plagued by unnecessary woe-is-me clichés).

But then I realised that punk 2014 isn’t necessarily in the hands of washed up dinosaurs such as Green Day or the three chord regurgitations of airbrushed boy bands with tattoos. In fact, the DIY ethos and ‘anyone can do it’ attitude is alive and well in bedrooms and basements around the world, populated by kids making electronic music with little more than some cracked software and a wifi connection. Even with the most basic set up it’s possible to make a record, release yourself it via Bandcamp, and promote it on social media and blogs (such as this fine publication you’re currently reading), all without shutting down your computer or needing to put a penny in the hands of the so called music industry. And what could be more punk than that?

Anyone can participate in this new punk revolution, as you’d be pushed to find a college or school without some element of music technology education available. And the age-old prejudices of gender, race and sexuality that guitar-punk claims to fight against need not apply. Whether black or white, male or female, straight, gay or trans, you’re an anonymous SoundCloud URL just like everyone else.

In the way that singers used to leave rock bands and go it alone with an acoustic guitar it wasn’t too long ago that Sonny Moore left post-hardcore heroes From First To Last to make electronic music on little more than a laptop and some readily available software, consequently redefining a genre alongside the likes of Excision and Noisia. Without getting into the trolls’ favourite debate about what is and what isn’t dubstep/brostep/whatever (no Skrillex didn’t invent it, yes other people also used distorted bass wobbles way before he did, we get it) he essentially took heavy metal riffs and transferred them to ear shattering synth noises. Finally releasing his debut album this year, with a mix of bass-centric styles aside from his early work, he’s become the poster boy for the laptop generation. The sound he pioneered has been appropriated, gentrified and made safe for public consumption through the vacuum of radio EDM (a term as soulless as it is meaningless) in the same way that mainstream pop punk filtered out the serious bits of its predecessor to leave a throwaway shell – it might look the same on the outside but it’s empty on the inside!

Some of my own favourite ‘punk’ releases this year have come from electronic artists such as Heartsrevolution, a fantastic producer and vocalist duo (plus live drummer) whose mission it is to put the heart back into music. 2014 saw the release of the Ride And Die album. Renowned for touring in unorthodox ways such as their trademark homemade ice cream truck, lead singer Leyla ‘Lo’ Safai out-punked her rock band contemporaries with a scathing attack on manufactured pop and celebrity-obsessed culture in the likes of ‘Kill Your Radio’ and ‘Brillianteen’. With a good helping of riot grrrl empowerment and political lyrics alongside a musical mix of New York garage rock, French house, and J-pop melodies the result is a revolution that is both affecting and accessible.

Another defining and defying record of the year came from house producer Drew Daniel and his The Soft Pink Truth project. Following on from his fantastic hardcore punk covers album Do You Want New Wave (Or Do You Want The Soft Pink Truth), his third full-length under this pseudonym takes the even less likely subject matter of black metal and reforms it, via some truly ridiculous 90’s rave samples, into an experimental dance music context. Drew, who also performs with his boyfriend in electronic duo Matmos, is a lifelong fan of punk and metal and made Why Do The Heathen Rage as both a salute to the genre and a baiting challenge to its regrettable reputation for homophobia and violence. Irreverent about the past, pushing new boundaries of music and noise, and promoting equality and acceptance along the way, this is everything punk should be in 2014.

Embracing the DIY, doing whatever the hell you want, and inspiring others to do the same. This Christmas, the future trailblazers of punk won’t be asking for a Squier strat and a fuzzbox, but a PC World bargain and a copy of Ableton. I guess they were right all along, the Dell really does have all the best tunes.

Notes from the Keybed – This Month In Synths [November/December 2014]

Merry Synthmas, y’all!

It’s the countdown to Christmas and you’ll all be writing your lists for the big man in red, I’m sure. Stuck for ideas? Well, aside from Moog branded mugs and Roland 808 socks, there are some fantastic records on the horizon to fill a hole in your stocking or plug your own holes whilst the family murders another rendition of Deck The Halls…

Kicking off December comes a (sort of) brand new EP from personal favourites, Issues! I say only sort of brand new as it primarily consists of stripped-back versions of the biggest tunes from their self-titled album, as well as a couple of oldies such as the fantastic ‘Hooligans’. The RnB-core boys were responsible for one of my records of the year, combining ripping synths with pop hooks and metulz chugs. Whilst Diamond Dreams is set to be a more sedate affair, there are still plenty of jazzy keyboards, chilled electronic beats and, of course, those songs that won us all over at the start of the year.

Speaking of records of the year, topping my list alongside Issues would be Heartsrevolution’s electro punk odyssey Ride Or Die, Death From Above 1979’s long-awaited return on The Physical World, the quite frankly mental debut from Emperor Yes on An Island Called Earth, and Get Cape Wear Cape Fly’s delightful swan song London Royal. All of these would make perfect presents for synth-hungry music fans.

Next year is already shaping up to be a good one for music, with a new album from synth pop pioneers Ok Go! Lead single ‘I Won’t Let You Down’ packs in some tasty disco strings alongside the quartet’s penchant for catchy choruses and retro guitar and synth sounds. In typical Ok Go style, there is also an utterly bizarre video that is well worth watching. Expect single wheeled scooter dancing, a troupe of Japanese girls twirling umbrellas, and some unbelievable choreography. Standard ‘band playing in a room’ videos have never been their modus operandi but this one goes even further with a HTML5-based interactive version… as long as you’re using Chrome. Hungry Ghosts is available on download sites here in the UK from February but you can get it now if you’re over in the US.

Another early contender for 2015’s record of the year will certainly be the new offering from rave-rock crossover kings Enter Shikari. Singles from The Mindsweep are already suggesting a continuation of 2012’s monumental album A Flash Flood Of Colour, with the radio-friendly chorus in ‘The Last Garrison’ sitting alongside the bass-heavy tribal rhythms of ‘Anaesthetist’ and ambient intro into surprise hardcore beatdown on ‘Never Let Go Of The Microscope’! It’s set to be another mix of intelligent songwriting and boundary-breaking soundscapes from the genre-hopping foursome.

We said a lot of goodbyes to some established synth bands in 2014, it was clearly the year that new rave finally gave up the ghost (sob). Klaxons returned with their pleasant, if a bit bland, third album before playing a final run of shows, grindie kids Hadouken went on indefinite hiatus, and even hip-hop heroes Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip went their separate ways following a triumphant farewell tour. In addition, we lost noisy electro duo Crystal Castles, with frontwoman Alice Glass departing with the tantalising promise of a solo career for her and a separate continuation from producer Ethan Kath.

With so many great acts throwing in the towel it seemed a perfect time to salute a much missed Keytar Hero, Pete Cafarella from Shy Child. Technically, the synth and drums duo are still a going concern, but having not heard anything from them since 2010, any hopes of a new album have fast dwindled. However at the height of electro indie, Shy Child stood proudly aside from their competitors fronted by the keytar-totting Cafarella’s dancey riffs and New York drawl. Although he hung up the keytar in 2010 to concentrate on being a ‘serious band’ with regular horizontal ‘boards he remains a true hero of the instrument and an influence to shy nerdy synthesists across the globe. Stand up and step out y’all!

Review: Auxes – Boys In My Head

Blending the unlikely bedfellows of melodic indie pop and sludgy noise rock, prolific Hamburg via Chicago threesome Auxes release their fourth album on German label Gunner Records. Thrashing out 11 songs in 30 minutes, Boys In My Head is a whistle-stop tour through punk, grunge and garage rock with hooks in all the right places yet never outstaying its welcome.

Initially conceived as a solo project by punk troubadour Dave Laney of Challenger and Milemarker, Auxes have managed the seemingly impossible and produced a cohesive record after making their way through eleven previous members on live and record leading up to this core trio of Laney on guitar and vocals, Florian Brandel on some deliciously fuzzy bass and backing vocals, and Manuel Wirtz on drums.

Straight out of the gates Auxes come on like Future Of The Left’s Andy Falkous fronting Nick Cave’s Grinderman, which is certainly no bad thing. In fact, the vocal similarity to Falkous is so uncanny during the opening track that I had to check I’d opened the right album instead of one of FOTL’s similarly noisey post-punk records. It’s more happy coincidence than copycat though, as Dave was releasing music on Jade Tree in the mid 90’s so certainly has the dues to back it up!

Lyrically, the album very much revolves around those classic punx subjects of suppression and kicking against authority. Remember when you used to play that game of counting how many ‘fucks’ there were on Limp Bizkit’s ‘Chocolate Starfish…’, or was that just me? Well, the sucker punch threesome of ‘Life In Their Television’, ‘Boom Boom Town’ and ‘Under Fire’ gives you ample opportunity to revisit such joys, especially the latter’s fabulous closing refrain of ‘fucking motherfuckers’! That’s not to say its lyrically unintelligent though, these guys just clearly love raging against ‘the man’, something so dearly missing from much of today’s watered-down radio-friendly punk rock. I guarantee you’ll be fist-pumping your way to your capitalist-friendly place of work should you choose to listen to this record on your daily commute.

Special mention must go to the drums on this album, which drive the music along at a ridiculous pace of well over 200 beats per minute in the thrashier numbers, never missing a beat but always finding an extra few for an impressive tom fill or breakneck snare roll. It’s certainly refreshing to hear a record that doesn’t tie itself to a click track or become a victim of heavy-handed Pro Tools use. Instead the intentionally flexible tempo changes on ‘I’ve Had Enough’ and ‘Under Fire’ convey a genuine garage band vibe and an admirably live production. That’s not to say the group aren’t tight though, this now stable line-up of Auxes have clearly benefited from life on the road together playing 200+ shows in 18 countries and sound like a solid unit.

Boys In My Head doesn’t break any new ground, but no one said it needed to. Sometimes all you need are visceral riffs, thundering drums and a shout-along chorus or two. Fans of Dave’s earlier work as well as slacker staples Hüsker Dü, The Melvins, or even The Hives’ earlier work will find much to appreciate in the short sharp bursts of anarchy in three chords contained within this album.

3.5 out of 5 high fives!

Notes from the Keybed – This Month in Synths [October]

Keytar Cat Man. Because it’s Halloween.

We’ve already reviewed the new Minus The Bear b-sides and rarities collection elsewhere on TBO but here’s a timely reminder if you’ve yet to check out the frankly ace Lost Loves. Electronics man Alex Rose gets plenty of chance to showcase his usual mix of Pink Floydian atmospheres and synth hooks, with the ripping electro lead on ‘Surf-N-Turf’ and twinkling arpeggios of ‘Walk On Air’ being particular highlights.

Over the past few months we’ve consistently banged on about Emperor Yes, who first came to this column’s attention after a stunning set on the Alcopop! stage at Brighton’s Great Escape earlier this year. The psychedelic synth-poppers’ debut full-length An Island Called Earth is finally out and sounding expectedly fantastic. For the real nerds out there you can even pick it up on cosmic green vinyl infused with real meteorite dust! For the rest of us be sure to grab the download or CD and check out the synthesiser-led delights of ‘Wasps’, ‘It’s The End Of The World’, ‘Mirror’ and… well the whole album – it’s a beaut!

Scottish trio Chvrches have been busy with new music this month, not only announcing they’ll be contributing new track ‘Dead Air’ to the Hunger Games soundtrack, but also releasing single ‘Get Away’ as part of Zane Lowe’s re-scoring of Drive. Unfortunately, the latter doesn’t quite hit the heights of perfect debut album The Bones Of What We Believe, but it still has their trademark retro textures, analogue percussion and a tasty trancey lead. It’s a definite grower and one that you won’t be able to avoid if you listen to the radio at any point over the coming weeks! There’s also a fantastic cover of Bauhaus’ ‘Bella Lugosi’s Dead’ scurrying around the Internet at present, which is perfect for your Halloween playlists!

Bloc Party mainman Kele Okereke has a new solo album out following 2010’s indie dancefloor slaying The Boxer. Trick is more straight-up dance music than anything he has done to date but the sublime songwriting and achingly cool vocals bring a much-needed uniqueness over his contemporaries. In many ways it is an indie-friendly gateway into the increasingly wanky world of commercial house music (thanks for making everything so borrrrring Disclosure) with hipster-friendly garage beats and late night soundscapes forming a gritty salute to London’s nightlife, whilst recalling lyrical themes from his day job’s masterpiece ‘A Weekend In The City’.

These New Puritans scared the shit out of me when I first heard ‘Orion’ among the usually safe surroundings of an NME cover disc. It was overwhelmingly bleak with droney keyboards, modern classical influences, and incessant drum rhythms outlining frontman Jack Barnett’s vocal monotones and lyrical intellectualisations. Earlier singles ‘Numbers’ and ‘Colours’ may have been more typical indietronica, but they always had a defiant stance to do things their own way and be impertinently different. Continuing to divide, confuse and amaze, they have certainly never been boring. Therefore, the release of new live album Expanded should come as no surprise, featuring a full 35 piece band of orchestral instruments and percussion, an array of synths and electronics and even ‘ultra bass singers’ (take that dubstep!). It’s certainly an interesting take on bringing electronic-infused music to the live arena, and it’s well worth watching the accompanying video online. Not one to listen to in the dark though!

October’s Keytar Hero award finds a home with Canadian queen of perky synth-pop, Lights. Her music may not be everyone’s cup of tea with its saccharine Disney-pop sheen (I shamelessly dig) but nobody can deny that she’s been loyal to the keytar as her long-term live performance companion ever since her early days of hanging out with the pop-punk kids at Warped. If you need any further convincing just type ‘keytar lesson with Lights’ into your YouTube search bar for hilariously awesome ‘advice’ from 2009 such as name your keytar so you take better care of it, understand the differences between keytar and regular keyboard, and make sure its plugged in. She even gives a demo of the Phil Collins mega hit ‘In The Air Tonight’ on solo keytar. She’s one of us…

Review: Minus The Bear – Lost Loves

Seattle stalwarts Minus The Bear have been at the forefront of the math rock scene since 2001, combining singalong choruses with head-scratching time signatures and guitar athletics, usually all within the space of a single song. This latest release compiles together an album’s worth of songs that didn’t fit onto their previous three records Planet Of Ice, Omni and Infinity Overhead. An inspired take on the unreleased and rare theme, it certainly delivers the goods, bringing together a range of sonic flavours from riff-rock to electronica via the prog-influenced song structures that have united the band’s output over the years.

Opener ‘Electric Rainbow’ first appeared on the bonus disc accompanying the first editions of 2007 full-length Planet Of Ice and, in this reviewer’s opinion, is an example of the definitive Minus The Bear song. For anyone unfamiliar with the band, it is the perfect introduction, featuring dextrous guitar tapping, some righteous fuzz bass, typically elusive lyrics, and a deliciously singable chorus. It is one of many occasions on this record that make you wonder how such a good song didn’t make the cut for a full album release. Follow up track ‘Surf-N-Turf’ has a funky pop groove that is as radio friendly as 6/4 polyrhythms can get, whilst ‘Broken China’ is a guitar-driven rocker with a enough whammy pedal action to give even Tom Morello foot ache!

Halfway through the record the cracks begin to show, as a couple of the weaker songs reveal why they may have been best left to stew in the cutting room a little longer. ‘Patiently Waiting’ has the potential to be a dreamy atmospheric song that would sit nicely on Planet Of Ice with its smooth Pink Floyd-esque guitar and shimmering keyboard chords, yet the drum machine heavy production and unnecessary faux-reggae middle eight leave it sounding more like an off-cut from Kanye West’s 808’s And Heartbreak. It’s not necessarily bad – in fact there’s a really nice song buried beneath the production – but it lacks context here. In fact, that is the record’s only real weakness. Although the diversity makes for a fantastic snapshot of a band who have proudly gone their own way for more than a decade, it lacks the narrative and cohesive sonic template that usually ties together their albums so well. However, it must be said that this is more a criticism of the b-sides and rarities format in general rather than Lost Loves in specific.

Fortunately, things more than pick up towards the end with closing track ‘The Lucky Ones’, which was originally produced for most recent studio album Infinity Overhead, as it combines searing synth leads with head-nodding staccato riffs and melodic vocals, ending with dramatic closing chords and layered reverse guitar loops. Intelligent yet catchy, it is the perfect closer to a retrospective of a unique band.

Overall this collection cements Minus The Bear’s single-minded individuality over the past thirteen years, from uncompromising technicality to danceable pop hooks and everything in between. Tall Ships, This Town Needs Guns, and any other band who thought ‘hey, maybe we could add an extra beat in here’, pay attention. This band made you.

4 out of 5 high fives!