Review: So what happens when a European post-punk outfit meets an American 'ambient country ensemble'? The answer: A Nanocluster. In fact, three. This being the third. Immersion first met SUSS in September 2021, and the results were mesmerising. Three years on and the impact was no less staggering. Originally landing in September 2024, part tres takes us into the kind of musical places we're used to finding Spiritualized or Mogwai, and even then the references are misleading. For as many times as Nanocluster Vol. 3 sucks us into a thick soup of ambient and atmosphere, inviting us to get lost in opiate cloud formations, it also asks us to jump on board a stream train of rolling and driving rhythms, juggernauts gathering depth and complexity as they forge ahead. A stunning collection of highly evocative and incredible musical instrumentals.
Review: 2022 saw the unlikely return of late 90s New York screamo/"skramz" pioneers Saetia, who have seen a massive surge in popularity in the decades since their initial disbandment, due to being credited as a major influence by numerous affluent modern post-hardcore acts such as La Dispute and Touche Amore. Noted for their expansion of the chaotic "emoviolence" sound by imbuing their cataclysmic compositions with heightened melodrama, spoken-word vocals and poetic lyricism pulling from Greek tragedies, both their self-titled EP and sole full-length have been held aloft as quintessential blueprints for the genre in the decades since their original tenure. Following a hectic reunion schedule which has finally brought the group to new foreign shores across the UK and Europe, the three tracks that make up the Tendrils EP serve as their first new material in 26 years, marking the follow up to 1999's Eronel EP.
Review: Sexbeat are the latest gem you're about to fall in love with from the lost generation of punk, Now Wave and Neo-Goth. We only wish there was more information we could share about them, other than the fact they hit hard and manage to straddle the lines between raw and nasty and strangely romantic and melodic. It's rousing stuff that wants us to sing along while getting spat in the face because the front row is so close to the stage and the vocals are delivered with such resolute aggression. On this self-titled A-sider, they launch from the starting blocks with all the energy and atmosphere of an era that's sadly now confined to history, rolling bassline and driving drums immediately gunning for your attention, nodding to the likes of Surf Nazis Must Die and Aufrichtiges Zappa.
Review: Last year saw a repress of the pioneering 1987 self-titled debut EP from Queens, New York hardcore punk heroes Sick Of It All, housed in a limited one time only updated sleeve with new artwork designed by Jime Litwalk. The release was orchestrated to benefit frontman Lou Koller who recently received a cancer diagnosis with all proceeds going directly to the vocalist's treatment. With the outpouring of support from those within the hardcore community, the beneficial pressing has since sold out, leading to their label Revelation opting to now reissue the original version with the restored OG artwork. An influential blueprint and vital cornerstone of early NYHC, paving the way for the plethora of bands that would appear throughout the 90s, the EP boasts early versions of visceral cuts that would re-appear on their 1989 debut full-length Blood, Sweat & No Tears, including 'Pete's Sake', 'Friends Like You', and the venomous 'B.S. Justice' restored to its original full moniker 'Bullshit Justice'.
Review: New York City ska and reggae institution The Slackers have been doing their do for some 30 odd years now. Their latest release 'Kill You', though, shows no signs of staleness with plenty of fresh and futuristic perspectives. Recorded during the sessions for Don't Let the Sunlight Fool Ya, the A-side here is an epic at over seven minutes, while the B-side features a dub mix of 'Statehouse' from the band's Sunlight long player. It is a tune with a long and winding backstory that first saw it as an updated version of 'Wrongful Suspicion' which the band's frontman Vic Ruggiero co-wrote for Rancid back in the 90s.
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