Review: Flange Circus - Ekranoplan EP

One of the ideas I've been toying with re: the blog is to do a regular roundup of good stuff to be found on Bandcamp (that still may happen) when I was contacted by a gentleman called Bon (via www.facebook.com/dayzofpurple hint, hint!) who pointed me in the direction of this cracking piece of work.

The EP wears it's influences on it's sleeve; Krautrock (especially Neu!), Delia Derbyshire and her maties at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, eighties left field electronica (early Cabaret Voltaire, Severed Heads etc) and brings them all together in five tracks of variety and depth.

The first track 'MBSD' is pure Neu! for the 21st century; driving motorik rhythms, pulsing bass riffs and resonant synths. It peaks and then falls, revealing some squelchy electronic sounds, and peaks again until fading out with more squelches and distorted, echoey voices - it ticks all my 'Wow!' boxes.

'Socrates Is Not Your real Name' falls squarely in the hauntology camp, reminding one of those creepy kids TV progs from our youth (well, us of a *cough* certain age) - it's fun and yet vaguely unsettling.

'Pork Parade (In A Gold Lamé Suit) is another retro electronic number, although a bit meatier starting with some strident guitar over that motorik drum. The now everpresent electronica effects, complete with bass and drums slowly become the dominant voices.

'Mein Gott Ist Kaput'is classic krautrock with a modern twist, the chiming guitar complementing the synths and drums. The track builds over the course of it's 8 odd minutes and takes on a distinct soundtrack vibe, almost Vangelis like. Another cracker!

'PUBC (Paper Shoes Vibing On Cat's Piss)', as well as winning 'The Song Title of the Week' prize, rounds off the EP in some style. The first few minutes are redolent of Dead Sea Apes (who, regular readers of the blog know, are one of my very fave bands!)but soon transmutes into a mutated club tune - guitars overshadowed by frantic, almost psytrance, synths. The guitars build again until they almost do battle with the synths - impressive!

This EP is truly amazing, full of surprises and twists and turns; defying any lazy categorisation yet the influences are clear. It's only £1 (yes, that's one pound!) over at Bandcamp so no excuse really is there?

On a side note, what is it about the North West of England that produces some much good noise, Flange Circus are Manchester lads, as are Dead Sea Apes, and Earthling Society are from Fleetwood....must be something in the water. What do we get down here in Essex - fuckin' X Factor contestants...it's not fair!



Links:

Bandcamp