Last year's A Unity of Miseries-A Misery of Unities grabbed me quickly and became one of my absolute favorite albums that came out in 2014. The songs that were re-recorded from their demo tape were excellent, and the new compositions that premiered on that record were even stronger. So of course I had high hopes for the Susan Subtract and Greg Vand's sophomore record, and I am not at all disappointed. Strong beats, glorious pawnshop synth sounds and memorable songwriting come together brilliantly on Definite Structures.
Quirky is not usually a term I associate with music in a good way, but honestly it is the best way to describe HFF.Too often quirky is a transparent attempt to be weird or random as an attention-seeking gimmick for bands that lack skill and/or talent.This duo's weirdness seems completely natural and unforced, however, and is simply another asset that helps them to stand out singularly in a world of imitators.Even as part of the big three LA bands leading the outsider EBM scene they are the odd ones out:Youth Code do the tattooed hardcore punk thing, Pure Ground have their wasteland dystopia vibe going, but HFF are the strange children of the '80s, doing their own thing and loving it.
In the year since their debut album came out, they have already made strides as far as cultivating their identity and sounding more self assured.While there are a litany of bands that could correctly or incorrectly be cited as influences on their sound, never do they sound like anyone else in particular.Via their unpopular Ensoniq synth fetishism and low fidelity samples, they have created their own sound and push it amazingly.
A defining feature of Definite Structures is that it hardly relents at all:all nine songs are pounding drums, jagged digital synthesizers and Subtract’s snarling punk yell.The closest thing to an introspective moment is the album opening "Hunger Cries."With the BPM turned down a bit and a slightly more restrained vocal performance, it takes on a nice chiming synth pop feel.All I could picture is the awkward, black veiled '80s goth kids dancing (awkwardly) at some weird prom in a John Hughes movie that was never made."Grey Scent" is only a bit less forceful than much of the album because of the calmer vocals and monotone half of its catchy chorus.
That is one of the other most striking facets of this album:simply how catchy the songs are.The first album showed a marked improvement between the songs from their demo compared to the ones recorded for that album, and this one is a similar jump.The duo's songwriting ability was never lacking, but they manage to create such memorable choruses and melodies.
Aggressive, dance floor packing rhythms and bass lines are what this album is all about though."Confuse the Call" appears here in a different mix than on the Strategies Against the Body compilation earlier this year, stripped down and with the emphasis placed on the drums and vocals, it hits even harder."Lattice of Coincidence" is especially memorable in the duo's pairing of a martial, aggressive bassline and a lighter, almost regal synth melodies, blending perfectly into its vocal-centric chorus.On "The Plunge" a similar mix of jagged synth pads and insistent scatter-shot drum programming contrasts excellently, propelled by Subtract's dry throated aggro screams and sputtering samples of unknown origin.
On an album packed with great songs, "Afterbirth" may be the one that stands out as its centerpiece.Underscored by a pummeling 4/4 kick drum, surrounded by more complex rhythms, the song has an undeniable stomping energy amplified by the aggressive vocals and strong chorus.It is one of those songs that are just completely infectious, and as soon as it kicks in I cannot help but give it my full attention.
One of this duo's biggest assets is that there is a sense of fun spread throughout their music.Not that it is a joke or that they do not take their art seriously, but more that they are not trying to exorcise personal demons or push some sort of political agenda (at least obviously).No, they want to dance, and they want the people who listen to the record to do the same.Plus there seems to be an understated tongue-in-cheekiness to their approach, much like Front 242 had but not quite as subtle.A sense of self-awareness in a genre that is heavily polarized between stone-faced seriousness or childish novelty acts.
There is nothing especially innovative or daring with Definite Structures, but there is not supposed to be. Like their previous album, it is a collection of nine pounding songs and catchy melodies that are just as appropriate for dancing as listening, thank to their undeniable earworm qualities.There might not be any significantly challenging moments to be heard, but the infectious melodies and memorable choruses make all of that moot anyway.As it was last year, there is another High-Functioning Flesh record that is likely to place extremely high on my favorite releases of the year list.
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