As synthpop begat EBM and industrial 2.0 some three decades ago, the recent minimal wave scene has given birth to its own dance music with a distortion pedal offspring, and I for one have been very happy about it. It was this sort of music that started me down the road to unconventional and experimental music as a teenager, so I have a special affinity for it. Youth Code might be getting all of the media accolades, but this debut from High-Functioning Flesh shows they are just as deserving, and I would give them the edge as far as memorable songwriting goes.
It was a record club copy of Skinny Puppy's Last Rights, which started the ball rolling for me, and it was not long before I was exploring associated bands such as Front Line Assembly, KMFDM, and the ilk.My love affair was short lived though, because within a few years, I lost interest in even what my favorite artists were doing, choosing to pass on their new releases in lieu of the albums I already had.
Looking back, there were two main reasons for this, both of which do not apply to HFF.First, the sound simply got too polished.Sampling became the norm, as did complex multitrack digital recordings and software instruments, so the jagged synthesizers and inhuman sounding drum machines fell by the wayside.Second, I realized that it was such an insular, closed off scene that I wanted nothing to do with.A Unity of Miseries keeps its layering sparse without being unnecessarily minimalist, focusing more on catchy basslines and memorable melodies but with a nice dirty edge.As far as scene cred goes, one look at the video for "Self-Management" and seeing vocalist Susan Subtract’s bolo tie and the paisley button down shirt that keyboardist Greg Vand is sporting proves how far removed they are from the PVC pants and gas mask world.
Of the seven songs that make up A Unity of Miseries, four are polished versions of ones that appeared on their online demo tape last year, but stronger and more realized."Rigid Embrace" has the duo embracing electro the most, pairing a brittle bass sequence and sharp, inhuman drums."Touch Oblivion Icon" is perhaps the most laconic song on here, shuffling along at a moderate tempo amongst sparse synths and some of Subtract's more detached vocals, here more Jean-Luc De Meyer than Douglas McCarthy.
HFF might not be secretive about their influences, but "Glowing Dripping" makes for the only moment that feels like an emulation of another artist. With Subtract's manic screams, metallic rhythms and tight bassline, I could have easily been deceived into believing it was a lost That Total Age era Nitzer Ebb song, at least until the synth pad accents come in and add a bit too much complexity to sound like that legendary duo.If they were going to ape a band’s sound, for me they picked the right one, and the right album.
The strongest assets are the songs appearing for the first time, and they demonstrate how much the band has evolved within a single year.The aforementioned "Self-Management" makes for the perfect single with its anthematic stomp.It might take a fair amount of time to fully open up, letting the synths layer together tastefully for the first two minutes, but when it does, the result is an uptempo aggro song that stands tall even amongst the best work of the classic artists.
"Flash Memory" might start with chintzy digital synth pads and bitcrushed voices, but soon launches head on into a rapid fire bass line and snappy drums.Paired with the yelled, yet focused vocals it results for a spirited, hardcore punk sensibility to it.Closer "The Deal" also just manages to hit all of the right notes for an album's conclusion.Subtract's call and response style vocals alternating between his flat Eurotrash disconnect and snarling scream as Vand builds up a strong, but slightly melancholy rhythm and melody.By no means is it a down beat song, but manages to channel just the right amount of emotion and energy to make a dramatic, memorable conclusion.
Critical objectivity aside, I simply love this fucking record.My first listen to it gave me twinges of what it was like around 20 years ago, listening to a band for the first time that I purchased blindly due to how I assumed they were going to sound, and being perfectly satisfied.A Unity of Miseries has that nostalgic edge to it, but for the most part it is entirely its own entity in 2014, bringing the best elements of a genre that is dear to me while ignoring all of its limitations.While I do not see myself shelving this album anytime soon, the jump between their demo and this makes me especially anxious to hear what their next evolutionary stage will bring.
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