986 These New Puritans - Hidden (2010)

986 These New Puritans - Hidden (2010)

Studio Album - Experimental



About the Act:

These New Puritans are an English group/band/collective, who have produced four studio albums since their inception in 2006. The main members are the Barnett twins (George and Jack) but there have been several other members. They are hard to categorise, genre labels include Post-punk, Art Rock, Post-Rock, Neo-Classical, Industrial, Experimental, Dancehall, Electronic, Indie Rock, Leftfield and Darkwave. I guess this is what happens when you create music that does not fit into the neat pigeonholes.
 

About the Album:

This was the second album by These New Puritans, which blends electronic music, modern classical and many other sounds. This is what the press release for the album said: "Six-foot Japanese Taiko drums, a thirteen piece brass and woodwind ensemble, sub-heavy beats, prepared piano, a children’s choir, Foley recording techniques (including a melon with cream crackers attached struck by a hammer, used to simulate the sound of a human head being smashed), and the ethereal voice of Heather Marlatt from dream-pop group Salem."

My History with this Album:

None

Review:

Well, if you like things on the odd side, you might like this. It goes to places not previously imagined, and yet keeps a coherent feel through the album. There are electronic noises, Taiko drums, classical ensembles, and lyrics mostly spoken (but not really identifiable as rap) which are mostly repetitive, and seem to be mostly of little meaning, except they may mean a lot to the creators of course. In some ways it has a feel of the late 80s, early 90s to it, but I think that is mostly in the nature of the delivery.

Intellectually I found it interesting, but ultimately not as nice a listening experience as it could be. It doesn't really spark anything in me except for the curiosity of "how have they done that?" and ultimately a desire to listen to something else.

5.6/10




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