East London-based post-punk outfit Folly Group are devoted to pushing limits. In difficult the normal post-punk sound — weaving in trip-hop, dub, dance, and Afro-Cuban rhythms — they’ve additionally set themselves aside from the style’s DIY scene rising round them within the U.Okay. In live performance, they proceed to defy expectations — lead vocalist Sean Harper sings brashly from the drum package whereas bassist Tom Dorehty and guitarist Louis Milburn head the entrance of stage, every delivering punchy elements alongside dynamic percussionist Kai Akinde-Hummel. It’s a fantastically chaotic stability, with highly effective symbiosis in every member’s output, one which creates a heavy, intoxicating rhythm part from all angles. At this time, the four-piece launch their debut LP, Down There!, tapping into a brand new degree of sincere lyricism, taking up matters of alienation in Britain to the beat of an more and more ingenious sound.
Learn extra: Each the Treatment album ranked: From worst to greatest
In celebration of the brand new LP, Folly Group’s Sean Harper sat down with AP to element his high 10 post-punk songs — or as he calls them, “purple flagcore.”
Iceage – “Simony”
Plowing Into the Area of Love was an enormous document for teenage me. “I’ll Do What I Can,” the second single from our album, Down There!, left its fingerprints throughout “Simony.” I’m endlessly catching myself singing alongside to the “one million regrets” hook within the refrain, a lot to the amusement of my classmates at clown college.
Martha Skye Murphy – “Caught”
Martha’s implausible. I’m so excited for a full-length mission. This track balances the gorgeous and the uneasy so effortlessly. I may in all probability be taught rather a lot from this track about how to not litter an association, to be sincere.
Stina Nordenstam – “Below Your Command”
I like this track. It doesn’t stroll a line between settling and comforting, a lot as be each in equal measure without delay. It’s a terrific instance of how a further post-production course of dedicated to manipulating and screwing up conventional band instrumentation can actually disembody the devices and make them sound alien in a approach that may’t be achieved with software program alone. We began having enjoyable with that concept on Down There!, and I hope we lean into it additional sooner or later.
Cooly G – “Love Dub”
Evidently, this has nothing in widespread, sonically talking, with what we attempt to do. I actually needed to incorporate it as a result of it’s so synonymous with London for me. It’s 2010, I’m 12, I’ve walked to WHSmith in my small city and acquired my first problem of DJ Journal. That is included on the CD compilation caught to the quilt. It got here to signify this imaginary model of London I daydreamed about and regarded ahead to getting caught into sooner or later once I was sufficiently old to maneuver. Our album’s certain by this imaginary underground London, and I hope it feels as synonymous with the capital to me in 10 years as this monitor nonetheless does. Masterpiece.
Massive Ups – “Goes Black”
Once I was 16, I began falling out of affection with dance music quickly as a result of this mission I had was getting all severe and industry-y, which was spoiling the enjoyable. In a extremely reactionary approach, I went deep on the grunge and punk I’d all the time additionally cherished, however extra passively. I went on a discovery spree, and this is likely one of the songs that helped me understand performing heavy music have to be actually enjoyable. Certain sufficient, it’s.
Vessel – “Purple Intercourse”
A tremendous train in temper by repetition. Sebastian Gainsborough is likely one of the U.Okay.’s most underrated digital musicians. Then once more, he did co-compose the soundtrack to The Northman, which hopefully means he’ll grace a bunch extra movies sooner or later. I’m actually grateful to Lou, Tom, and Kai for humoring my love for this kind of factor within the van.
Large Assault – “Dissolved Woman”
That is my favourite track of theirs. The way in which it bleeds by means of Neo’s headphones as he naps on his desk within the opening minutes of The Matrix was in some way the vibiest factor I’d ever seen once I first watched it. Been chasing that temper ever since. The bassline does all of the heavy lifting on this tune, and I lifted closely from it, vibes-wise, no less than, for a monitor on the album referred to as “Nest.”
Daughn Gibson – “All Hell”
We do numerous sampling in Folly Group. This monitor is a masterclass in constructing a pop track. structurally talking, out of samples and doubles as essentially the most overtly sinister pop track I can assume to call proper now. Homicide music.
Ioanna Gika – “Roseate”
We’ve spoken earlier than concerning the affect numerous strains of digital music have on our stuff. This track’s a superb instance of channeling that inspiration in service of one thing else. At first, it’s like baroque pop replete with harps and lyrical allusions to falling statues. There’s a stress that pushes and pulls, however the momentum by no means stops constructing, and all of it culminates in an angelic, apocalyptic gabber climax that in opposition to all odds doesn’t sound remotely compelled.
Exploded View – “Disco Glove”
An totally unforgiving groove beneath an air-raid siren guitar (perhaps?) half by an Anika-fronted band signed to one of many biggest labels to ever do it. This track was engineered in a lab to attraction to me. I’ve cherished it for years.
