Friday 1 May 2015

Sauna Youth - Distractions (CD Review)


01.End Loop
02.Transmitters
03.New Fear
04.Monotony
05.Cosmos Seeker
06.Modern Living
07.Leather
08.Paul
09.Abstract Notions
10.The Bridge
11.Try To Leave
12.Future Tense
13.Taking A Walk
14.Creeping

Richard Phoenix (Drums/Vocals)
Lindsay Corstorphine (Guitar)
Jen Calleja (Vocals/Sampler)
Christopher Murphy (Bass)


 Having started out in 2009 in Brighton, Sauna Youth ended up moving to London and changing line up to its current constellation in 2011. Attracted to the possibilities apparent within a DIY philosophy, the band self-recorded and self-released their own music until the release of their first LP, Dreamlands on Faux Discx/Gringo Records in 2012, creating a number of seven inches, splits and cassettes.

The band have naturally developed its sound in the three years since Dreamlands and is now in its ultimate form. All four members are also the band Monotony, which they formed while writing Distractions in 2014. Later in the year, they did two sessions over two days as both bands for Marc Riley on BBC 6 Music, and both Sauna Youth and Monotony were invited to play DRILL Festival by Wire. As well as playing in Monotony, members of Sauna Youth are also in the bands Tense Men, Primitive Parts, Feature and Cold Pumas




After an intresting seventeen seconds first track of well a feedback loop we blast straight into 'Transmitters' which is a good old fashioned new wave pop punk tune circa 1978, not art or experimental, just straight forward and really rather good.

Now thing is next bunch of tracks also fit that bill, just good old fashioned new wave, all sound like the Buzzcocks meets Wire, wheres this art stuff gone?

Up next is 'Paul' which is 52 seconds of talking over a bassline, could this lead into something weirder?
No is the answer back to 1978 again, as is everything else except 'Taking A Walk' which is more talking.

So somewhat dissapointed and at the same time a nice surprise, thought i may be getting some Throbbing Gristle meets Sonic Youth, got some well executed harmless punk tunes instead!

Rating 8/10
For fans Of: Monotony, Buzzcocks, Wire, Magazine, Vibrators

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