The final record of DIY bedroom-pop mainstay, computer science, is a triumph in self-examination, musical ambition, and a furious determination to live life to the fullest.
Past releases of Angie Brozowski maintained a steady exploration of traditional dream-pop sounds, borrowing twinkling synths and jangly guitars from artists such as Mac DeMarco and HOMESHAKE. She was one of the best to do it, being one of Start-track’s previous iteration, Z Tapes’ most popular artists. Her new album, the first and final as computer science, displays a sound that is relatively new to Brozowski’s musical output. cleaver leans heavily into a harsh, shoegaze type sound – think of the uncompromising beauty of Slowdive’s, Just for a Day, and the gothic shrieking of guitars on Knifeplay’s, Pearlty. Make no mistake, there are plenty of instances that show reverence to computer science’s past work; here however, they just take a back-seat.
‘handshake’ is a great opener. Brozowski wastes no time in getting to the meat of cleaver’s sonic intent: guitars are soaring; drums are cavernous; and the addition of piano gives the track an accomplished feel to it. ‘moving on’ is as equally cathedral-ceiling-high in sound. The song is subversive, as disorientating as it is beautiful. Personal highlight, ‘cloud white cloth’ is one of the best songs I have encountered this year. It begins as a piano ballad, not too dissimilar to the work of fellow bedroom-pop legend, Kitchen, before unleashing guitar lines that screech, ripping through the very fabric of the track. There are tempo changes, beat switch-ups, but always it returns to this newfound shoegaze sound, something that suggests a certain epiphany hanging over Brozowski’s personal life. Final track, ‘release’ is the most vulnerable we have seen computer science. Her voice is nervous and shaky, alluding to the fear of the future unknown, or perhaps the fragility of the present? The title of the song feels like a call to action, to release computer science from Angie Brozowski’s hands, hands that have seen great change, looking forward to the next chapter.
cleaver is a phenomenal album. It is an album I shall refuse to be quiet about, and it is an album I shall recommend to everyone I lay eyes on. It is bittersweet that this is computer science’s final record, but there really is no better way to conclude the project than with an offering like, cleaver. It is astoundingly accomplished, showcasing the very best DIY music has, cementing Angie Brozowski as a source of truly remarkable music.
Written by Callum Foulds
