Overall the album doesn’t deviate from its basic template – ferocious grooves and big beats punctuated with euphoric blasts of noise.
Overall the album doesn’t deviate from its basic template – ferocious grooves and big beats punctuated with euphoric blasts of noise.
The provocatively named band return for their third album. On the fuckometer their name isn’t as bad as Fuck Buttons but it’s also nowhere as near as good as The Fucking Champs.
But then what is?
Happily Holy Fuck are a more enjoyable listening proposition than the Champs. A four-piece for the first time, they’ve added bass and drums to the electronic mix. It’s not immediately apparent from album opener 1MD, a swirling mix of electronic feedback that basically sets the scene for the album proper. Red Lights is a mighty beat-y beast: tight interlocking grooves are held together by some ferocious drumming. In their new incarnation the sound is slightly less wild than on previous albums but it still packs a real punch. They’re now less electronic than the aforementioned Fuck Buttons but they’re also a lot scuzzier than the clinical lines of Battles. Latin America keeps the groove going and starts off with more of an electro sound, building slowly, before piano kicks in a gives the track a brief, stately air. Then the beats take over and it really starts to swagger. Stay Lit has a more melancholic air but the drums still come in and give the song a kick up the arse.
Silva & Grimes continues to carry the beat torch whilst Sht Mtn features inaudible vocals and electronic white noise interventions. Stilettos sounds like it is running out of control but manages to keep on the straight and narrow. Overall the album doesn’t deviate from its basic template – ferocious grooves and big beats punctuated with euphoric blasts of noise. This would be amazing to see live.