Named after 1998’s Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl (directed by Twin Peaks’ Joan Chen), San Jose, California trio Xiu Xiu have an astonishing fifteen full-length records to their name, of which Xiu Mutha Fuckin’ Xiu: Vol. 1 (Polyvinyl Records) is the latest. Continue reading
On Submerus (Sentient Ruin Laboratories/Lower Your Head for digital), his fifth full-length from Hell, the sludge project leans into a nasty wall of downtuned rumbling. This wall of rumble is set behind the tortured screams of someone who’s more intent on losing their mind than adhering to the bounds of songwriting. It feels more like someone who create art from a dense heavy sound, that is impressive due to it’s sheer heaviness, but in consuming an album the goal would be for the music to hook you in rather than a test of endurance as to what you ears can stand at high volumes, though not to kink shame anyone who is into sonic masochism. Continue reading
Four Stroke Baron defy convention and boldly go where few bands have gone before with the smirking and cinematic future shock brilliance of Data Diamond. The falsetto and manipulated vocals on “1000 Threads” paired with heavy sci-fi Nu groove makes you feel adrift in space. It is a swan dive into embracing the chaos, mutating and adapting while trying to find yourself. Certain moments feel like the dark guitars of Korn, Once Human, or Gojira suddenly morphed into Massive Attack.
There is so much here for repeated listens and it was cool to get to talk about the new album with the band. Continue reading