Although Crude Futures is their first full-length release, NZ dance-punks So So Modern are not complete newcomers to the UK scene, having performed a string of dates in 2007 and 2008 and released a number of smaller EPs (most of which which can be found in the murky depths of the World Wide Web). The album is to be released alongside to a new exhibition by fellow Kiwi, documentary photographer John Lake, and according to the press release “explores the burden of optimism in a constantly ‘apocalyptic’ reality”. All of which seems like pretty heavy stuff to cover in 40 minutes, if you ask me.
The album retains a feeling of polarity, however: “Life in the Undergrowth” is an instrumental number that kicks off the album on a serious note. However, the second track “The Worst is Yet to Come” possesses an air of hyperactivity; with its indistinct yells and stuttering time signatures it sounds like it’s been written by a six-year old on a sugar rush.
“Berlin” is the stand-out track on the album, acting as a good interval between the first and second half of the album. The hypnotic organ arpeggio combines well with the steady drum beat, something that doesn’t occur very often on this album, giving the high-pitched guitar crescendos a platform to come and go as they please.
This is an album most likely to appeal to some of the more technically-minded indie crowd; fans of Dananananaykroyd and Foals devotees are likely to enjoy this album, though on the whole it’s a record with strong moments let down by inconsistency.
Our Arbitrary Numerical Verdict:
Jamie Hewitt is a musician and producer based in Dundee. 
No Comments