The now defunct ‘Infants’ finally release their long delayed debut album ‘Giant Leg’ which from the get-go sounds like an old school dial-up internet connection being beaten within an inch of its life on opening track ‘Foam Party’.
Cue fuzzy no-wave electronica, manic vocal meltdowns and a flurry of full on guitar riffage that will make your hairs stand on end.
The self-proclaimed multi-national, multi-limbed phenomenon take their cues from the virtues of noise rock pioneers before them, caught somewhere between the neon metropolis of Melt Banana and the glitchy electronic fury of Lightning Bolt. The J-Pop sensibilities on ‘Buddy Island’ juxtaposed with the chaotic freak-out synth moments sound strangely entwined yet dissonant.
There is no doubt that the band’s keen exploration into what has been described as “Spaz rave sci-fi sex music” is a bold one. However, the beats that provide a structural lynch pin amongst all the cacophonic chaos resemble Devo at their most unhinged.
Good old fashioned Pop Hooks are nowhere to be found on this record which can make this a challenging listen in places, but there is a distinct momentum that drives the record courtesy of the lo-fi bass stomps that dominate almost every track.
On ‘Masticator’ guitar wizardry that the likes of Tom Morello would be proud of bobs and weaves alongside a relentless break neck drum beat.
While embracing a “Let’s see if you bastards can do 90!” ideology without any intermediate moments to stop and smell the roses, Giant Leg is a volatile snarling beast. Although it’s hard to feel emotionally invested in a lot of the self-indulgent electronic gimmickry that dominates the record, it’s worth noting that the band have explored a bold melting pot of noise-based ideas and tried to make them palatable.
