Mining Those Dark Depths And Currents

I have sat on this far too long. Depth & Current is a three-piece out of Norman Oklahoma that in their self-titled debut have created a warped and incredibly dark Gothic psychedelic stumble into the blacker realms of reality. There are recognisable connections to the light world through samples and influences (touching on Pink Floyd ('Lost'), Joy Division ('Pick Yourself Up'), Black Sabbath ('Minefield') and Flaming Lips (almost everything)) but this is an overall parallel universe. It could even be hokey with its heady gauze-like production, but it remains steadfastly resolute in its mining of the darker elements of progressive 70s rock and stoner rock mores, and for that I am grateful.


Depth & Current is available here.

Depth & Current - Pick Yourself Up
Depth & Current - Red Haute Sects (Ft. Baby Crenshaw)
Depth & Current - Lost

Lose Total Control On The Henge Beat

To complete today's triptych of incredible Aussie rock releases, we have Total Control with their Henge Beat. I mentioned seeing Dick Diver last week - well, seeing as Al is from Total Control, it's important for you to see on the strength of the Dick Diver album why Total Control is still his day job. The Henge Beat LP is dark, dank and oh so seductive, a driving synth-punk behemoth that wallows in the flooded basements of Berlin, hiding the remains of the Birthday Party, Ultravox and Wire. You can see a correlation with another white-hot album of this year, Iceage's New Brigade, yet this is a little less brutal. The musical nous of founding member Mikey Young (Eddy Current Suppression Ring, UV Race) may surprise some, but it is clear he not only understands what makes garage rock tick (rather than poseurs), he can also pat Ian Curtis on the nape of the neck before giving him a donkey punch. Henge Beat is rabid, a little perverted, but also another release that seems unaffected by affectedness. This is a sound that pervades the participating members because they believe in this. And that is what makes Total Control a dangerously beautiful (albeit combustible) commodity.

I implore you (like I have with Royal Headache and Witch Hats) - get this now!

Total Control - One More Tonight
Total Control - Carpet Rash