Vampire Synths That Drip Basslines Like Blood
There's something decidedly odd about The Flesh and their new album due out on June 6th. It's dark, atmospheric and so dirty its almost impossible to pick out from a pack of festival goers. Kicking off with 'Love Your Fate', The Flesh mix pounding verses that hint at rap with a dirty gyration of a chorus topped off with a filthy bass line keeping the two neatly tied together.
Amazingly, this smutty disco feel continues. This isn't just a one off stumble onto perfection. 'Death Connection', their debut single from 2003 is another dirty grind. 'The Lack' continues on, slightly heavier on the synths but by no means weaker. Nathan Halpem's voice offers something different from the run of the mill artists out there at the moment. Perhaps at first listen this music sounds a little bit cheesy, but then those filthy bass lines kick in to counteract the synth work and the result is something obviously from the same thought which caused Trent Reznor to sing 'Closer'.
'Sweet Defeat' continues with the (now usual) Flesh song composition. Beginning slowly and then turning into a heavier synth fest, the inclusion of the silken vocals of Gabriella Zappia is a nice touch and compliments the flirtatious feel of this song.
Think this combination of retro synths and dirty bass lines sounds tempting? 'Cuts' could very well be the icing on the cake. The hip-hop seeps further into the vocals, but the lyrics... morbid, twisted, utterly addictive... The Flesh have a fantastic plan here, and with each song it seems to improve. Their formula is simple, but they're highly diverse with the way each song is presented. That freakish desire to be different burns just as strongly in The Flesh as it does in bands such as 80's Matchbox Beeline Disaster suddenly springs to mind.
'Lonely Little Hunter' is a slightly more upbeat song, which provides a handsome contrast to the sickening darkness of 'Gallows'. You begin to worry about this talented young band... singing about the lyrical content they do, it would seem they have some serious issues. Still, if it creates blood-splattered albums as this, it's more than welcome. 'Fall To Heaven' builds on the darkness of the previous track and incorporates a fantastic slide into a powerful synth driven chorus dripping in bass line.
Hurtling to a close with 'Foes', another funky, filthy song which begs to grind against you and 'Death Ship', a song which slides against your skin like silk, The Flesh prove that there's nothing better than a little dirt, a little disco and a lot of bass to piss the neighbours off with.