The Sonar Yen - 'Slow Picture' (Soviet Union)
3/5
By: Clara Burtenshaw
At first sight, 'The Slow Picture', appears woefully unfocused. Blurry around the edges; the idea it attempts to convey seems unidentifiable, mystified and indirect. Closer inspection, however, reveals direction amid the morass of influences and a potent, brooding quality within a potent conglomeration of menace, rage and fear.
Vocally, Mike O´Neill invokes the twisted, younger Brian Molko - half-spoken, half-sung with an idiosyncratic Stateside twist of tongue. The glamorous King Adora Camden Queens might have found a new androgynite to slavishly idolise were it not for the masculinity of the melodious grunge metal soundscapes that accompany this vox. Energetic drumming spirals, barbed howling guitars and engaging hooks present in this debut album chart a progression from the early post-rock sprawling of earlier EPs.
The Sonar Yen, from the same dark and fierce Manchester that directed and encouraged the post-punk of Joy Division and The Fall, have rejected their surrounding, artistic heritage, instead finding inspiration in the likes of US imports Nirvana, Fugazi, and Dinosaur Jr; and such influence is overtly evident in the aural intensity of the Sonar sound, and should entice fans accordingly.
A twist at every turn, though, and the melody and bassline in particular of standout track 'Talkin About Bob' betray the group's northern background and serves as a reminder to how far-reaching late Ian Curtis' legacy really was. Certain snippets, such as the break in 'Lacklustre' will remind some of Lou Reed-circa 'Transformer', if he had the same technological means. A tendency towards repetitiveness aside, there is nothing at all sluggish or nagging about this picture.
Artists in this article: The Sonar Yen
Your Feedback
Login to post your comment