Deleter

Toronto electro-rock group Holy Fuck have managed to hone their junk shop aesthetic into a surprisingly coherent form of warped pop music. Following the excellent 2016 full-length Congrats and the more dance-oriented companion EP Bird Brains, the band sharpen their focus even further on 2020s Deleter. Like their previous albums, this one was born from impromptu jams and sketches at rehearsals and soundchecks. At this point in their career, the groups chemistry is so strong that the music seems to naturally flow from them, and theyve never sounded this tight before. Having incorporated buried, distorted vocals into their last few releases, here they invite a few guests to give a bit more of a human touch to their machine rhythms. Hot Chips Alexis Taylor appears on hypnotic opener Luxe, which was recorded on a rare 1947 Voice-O-Graph at Jack Whites Third Man Studio, lending his voice an eerie, scratchy effect. The track itself is a heavy, swirling blend of house and Krautrock influences, setting the tone for the majority of the album. Deleter has an infectious new wave/disco rhythm, with the groups typical scattered, wayward vocals joined by Liars founder Angus Andrews urgent inquiry, Are you fighting for a cause? Ponds Nicholas Allbrook jumps in during the neon shimmer of Free Gloss, which momentarily drifts into a softer breakdown before heading back on track. Near Mint is the most straightforward Motorik rhythm the group have ever played, sounding like a slightly hazy variation on something off Harmonias Deluxe or one of Michael Rothers solo records. The sludgy, drowsy San Sebastian is the only slow track on the album, and Ruby seems relatively toned down, apart from its ecstatic climaxes. Tipping closer to dance-pop than noise-rock, Deleter is one of Holy Fucks most finely tuned albums, yet the band sound as spontaneous as ever. ~ Paul Simpson