Starting off with a throbbing, thumping drum machine, the new, debut LP from Sydney-based duo NEIS doesn’t hang about. The electronic percussion is joined by some sparkly synths, pitch-black bass, and some filthy guitar, and the direction we’re heading in quickly feels like a lo-fi, DIY blend of an assortment of infamously single-minded acts like Suicide, Crystal Castles, and Salem. KO pulsates with vibrant energy and a rebellious attitude. A bit like how New Order might have sounded if they collaborated with The Jesus & Mary Chain and they did a bunch of drugs in a dark, dingy, underground nightclub, this is edgy, exciting stuff, and – as an album opener – it whets the appetite perfectly. The dueling vocals feel like a mismatch, but also, somehow, seem perfectly suited at the same time. Like a chaotic kind of yin-yang, we’re reminded of Swedish indie-dance-punks Love Is All and William Reid from the aforementioned JAMC. It’s a combo we deeply appreciate.
Uncle Girl follows and keeps the dark vibe going. Brooding, sinister and erratic, it feels adventurous, bold and unlike anything else we can remember hearing recently – or indeed in a long time. Rich in individuality and distinctiveness, the band has already carved out a distinctive sonic niche. And we’re only two songs into the album. Burning brightly and fading quickly, Uncle Girl clocks in at only 1:43 and doesn’t outstay its welcome. But it will return later. More on that in a bit.
Up next is Sorry, which begins with a propulsive, motorik, electronic beat similar to those used to great effect by acts like Sleaford Mods, IDLES, or GANS – the UK influence feels strong here. Full of attitude and spirit, the band’s mission statement is clear. Come in, fuck shit up, leave. The band is the by-product of a collaboration between underground Sydney music-scene veteran Jack Wotton (Big White, Jacky & The Wunderz) and his singer niece Stella Red, which is interesting as we thought that the relationship between the two felt almost familial. Turns out it is.
Sorry is followed by the reprise of Uncle Girl that was alluded to earlier. Longer than the previous incarnation, it’s slower and feels more considered – despite probably simply being a “slowed” rendition of the previous version. Recalling the most atmospheric work of The Postal Service (or maybe, more specifically, one half of its members, Jimmy Tamborello and his work as DNTEL), it is undeniably scenic, but you get the distinct impression that the scenes are distinctly underground.
The guitar tone on Clay Pigeons is absolute filth. Distorted to the max, it combines with Stella’s airy, sweet vocals to make something that feels something like cute, but in some weird, warped way. Almost adorable – like The Concretes or something similar – but viewed through a veil of dirt, they seem anything but twee. Perhaps reminiscent of the overall vibe of The Raveonettes, it feels indebted to the fuzz revolution of the 60s, the darkest side of the 80s, the dirt of the 90s, and much more beyond.
Franky (6 10) begins with a banging beat, which is soon complemented by the now-well-established trademark dirty guitar sound and what we think is an organ. Textured and tense, it builds worlds around the listener – worlds made of dirt, clay, soil, and sludge. “Only the dead sleep,” they spit over the persistent beat and darkness in the background, and it cuts through like a knife. The title track follows, and its opening beat is as impactful as the previous one. Dog House brings to mind The Kills circa-No Wow – at their spitting, snarling, spiteful best. Minimal, but also somehow maximalist – it feels both expansive and intimate – not unlike a lot of the album actually.
Album closer Chicken City is suitably gritty. Buzzsaw guitars, electronic hi-hats, and prominent synths meld together and feel like they breathe as one. Later, we meet a lead guitar tone that slices through the sound, and we feel like we’ve come to the end of a bit of a voyage. Challenging, brave, and impossible to categorise, we’d probably file this one under “Anything But-Easy Listening.
The album is available on a limited edition run of 200 vinyl copies dropping July 24th via Gothenburg’s vinyl-only record label Ryggen Fri Records.
Written by Kinda Grizzly
