Naked On The Vague - Blood Pressure Sessions
"This two-piece Australian act, consisting of
Lucy Cliche and
Matt Hopkins, apparently popped into being simply from finding old, broken instruments. Now, if all the kids coming across battered organs (not mine, thanks) sounded this good, we'd be in business! And make no mistake, these kids are the business. 'Old Leader' is our introduction, as oscillating waves of synth warp across the duo's shared vocals, punctuated by distorted cymbal crashes. It's Gloom, alright, but Cureheads will get nothing out of this. This is distilled nihilism, filtered through the brain of a Scissor Girls groupie on downers. 'All Aboard' is the closest we get to a dance track, which is fine by me! "All aboard, the ship is sinking! Jump on the tracks, the train is coming!" Lucy spits, while a hypnotic keyboard line keeps pace with a simple drum machine beat. 'Mother's Footsteps' trots out the noise guitar and stuttering vocals, punctuated by shrieks, and 'The Horse, He's Sick' is psychedelic minimal with clanks and drones stumbling over themselves. 'Brown Sun/Sydney Lane Roads' is not quite an homage to the ol' hometown, unless they spend a good part of their time there with their mind a-reeling on drugs and liquor (and who's to say they don't?) 'Lonely Boys' has creepy warbling, with the duo turning themselves into human didgeridoos. Very
Swans influenced, with a touch of that early
Coil mind-jism. The jangly 'God Nor Devil', supported by teeter-totter guitars, snare the listener with steel cords. Mysterious and echoing, 'Blood Pressure' brings to mind barren, flat wastelands, echoing with thuds and wooden clatters. 'The Beach 2' transforms foghorns into synth lines, as the guitar trickles down into a mush of sound, becoming static and oscillating waves once more. This excellent little dark'n'nasty is one of two debut releases. Can't wait for the other!" - D.D.M.
