Review: The Overload - The Overload (Woodford Halse)

Back in the day (well, up to the beginning of this year) I ran a small tape label called Misophonia Records. For reasons I won't go into here it is no more but I'm still mighty proud of all the releases I put out. The reason I mention this is because I released material by both members of The Overload; Mat Handley (Pulselovers/vert:x and the man behind Woodford Halse) and Allan Murphy (Midwich Youth Club/Chewed Tape/Kehrschliefe) - both damned fine people and it was an absolute joy and privilege to work with them both. Back in 2016 Mat and Allan worked on a collab - The Overload - which has now seen the light of day via Mat's wonderful Woodford Halse label.

This meeting of minds has produced a real gem of an album. As one would expect from both these artists it is heavy on the retro/nostalgic electronics but coloured with a thoroughly modern sensibility. The scene is set from the very opening of first track 'Gated Community' with its dark, dystopian wave of synths before breaking out into an upbeat Kraftwerk-esque number (well, think Kraftwerk if they formed in Sheffield in the late 70s, possibly working in a cocktail bar). The rest of the album follows in a similar vein; 'The Last Days of Reality' has 'The Dignity of Labour' written all over it while 'Sandcastle Lords' would sit very well as the theme to a 'Tomorrow People' reboot (yes please btw!). 'Concrete Island', as the title would imply, is 70s brutalism put to music while album closer 'A New Society' put me in mind of 'Logan's Run' (the TV series, not the film) but this may be some subconscious joining of dots.

All in all 'The Overload' is a terrific album - it takes its cues from a variety of sources it would appear; late 70s UK synth, Kraftwerk and a measured dose of Ghost Box 'hauntology' and combined them all to produce an album with a distinct personality of its own and, more importantly, has a lightness of touch that some more earnest artists lack - it's an album that is brilliantly produced but you get the impression that Mat and Allan had a blast making it.

'The Overload' is available as a tape and a download via the Woodford Halse Bandcamp page here and, like all of the WH releases, comes with unique packaging including die cut outer sleeve, die cut j-card and a collectable cigarette cards.



Links:

Woodford Halse Bandcamp

Woodford Halse Facebook

Midwich Youth Club Bandcamp

Midwich Youth Club Facebook