It is not often that I’m obliged to review other peoples work and with good reason too! The majority of times it’s all too easy to stand from afar and tear into a body of work that an artist has spent many a month writing, recording, developing and tuning into something that they can be proud of only for people like myself to cast judgement on. Who the hell are we to lambast someone’s dedication to their art anyway? Critics can be an evil bunch right enough, and they are even worse when they are not being paid for it. Cheeky devils. However, every now and again an album comes along that compels me to write about it. Not very often I’ll grant you but the reaction is something akin to a spiritual awakening when it does.
“13 Towers”, the brand spanking new album from Edinburgh synth lords Homework, is one of those exceptions.
The debut offering from the Edinburgh quartet is an impressive collection of industrial synths, roaring guitars and thunderous beats that all resemble a charge of wild horses that keeps you hanging on from the first beat ‘til last. On first listen it is all too easy to pigeon hole the band as another Indie-tronica troupe hoping to cash in on recent successes from the likes of CHVRCHES and Fridge Magnets. Delve just below the surface and what you find is a finely tuned balance of new-wave, trance, rock and pop that combine to produce a dark, pulsating collection of electronica goodness.
How beardy is your drummer?
The first track proper, “Cairo”, combines all those aforementioned elements and does a great job of it while “The Edge of Control was Black”, the band’s first single from the album, delves deeper into new-wave territory. Pulsating moog synths and a driving rhythm section keep your attention while singer Olly Kass sneers in his distinctive Scot’s brogue as he defies to “test your mettle”, in a way that Dave Gahan would be proud of. In fact, it is all very 1980’s with connotations of Depeche Mode’s “Violator” and Visage’s “Fade to Grey” but still feels very fresh which is an exciting prospect. “Thoughts”, a feature of Homework’s live set for some time, is a particular highlight with its almost Germanic trance heavy bass riff and solid drum chops. Kass is almost possessed as his singular lyric becomes more hysterical throughout, like suffering a bad trip while stumbling across an orgy in a dingy discothèque.
While there are some slight issues with production of the latter part of the album, when all the elements come together, like in “6’s and 7’s”, “It’s All Over” and “All I See”, you have an example of craftmanship that is truly breath taking! “6’s and 7’s” in particular is a triumph. It is darkly euphoric; uplifting; joyous to behold and yet you feel completely terrified at the same time as the pounding bass synths and outstanding drum loops take hold of you. It will pick you up and drop you like a stone!
While I could nip-pick and say that there are maybe one too many “instrumental” fillers, aforementioned production issues that may discourage “purists” or that “Tesla” is slightly incoherent in direct comparison to the rest of the album, I really would be nit-picking and it wouldn’t be an honest critic of the album as a whole. “13 Towers” represents a band on the up, one who is knocking, nae, pounding at the door of record executives, A&R types and the country as a whole to be noticed and given the recognition they deserve.
Forget CHVRCHES, Homework are the Scottish kings of electronica.
THE BUZZ STOP 