Beat Pyramid, by These New Puritans, endeavours to inhabit the same rarefied places as say Can, or a Nico LP; that is, the band wish to be answerable to no-one but themselves.
Beat Pyramid, by These New Puritans, endeavours to inhabit the same rarefied places as say Can, or a Nico LP; that is, the band wish to be answerable to no-one but themselves.
These New Puritans – Beat Pyramid
http://www.munichrecords.com/ http://www.dominorecordco.com/
Interesting this, as I initially thought Beat Pyramid would be one of those CDs I would be resigned to taking out of the player after a few minutes; that is on being stopped in my tracks after hearing a particular musical phrase, or lyric; "This music is weightless and when I sing, so am I" from Swords of Truth – being an outstanding example.
Beat Pyramid endeavours to inhabit the same rarefied places as say Can, or a Nico LP; that is, the band wish to be answerable to no-one but themselves. Having said that (or maybe because of it) it’s a difficult listen at times, as there’s a lot of bleak imagery being projected.
Despite the oblique lyrics (which seem obsessed at times in defining the world through the basic of man-made ingredients; colours, numbers etc) it’s surprisingly endearing stuff, if monochrome. It also reeks of urban boredom; check out En Papier or the dancey Elvis for proof. Now and again there’s some real sonic inventiveness as on Doppelganger, a fabulously moody instrumental; or Infinity YtinifnI, a brilliantly tense piece of music with the great refrain, "China India, my future/ Scatter, scatter, and imitate".
Promising stuff.
Words: Richard Foster