Glasgow, Scotland, is fast becoming an indie-rock Mecca. Or, more specifically, a Mecca for dark, experimentally-tinged indie-rock. Mogwai, with their atmospheric quasi-gothic instrumental epics, Arab Strap with their intense, harsh and intimate lo-fi take on indie-folk, Aerogramme with their intelligent and powerful post-grunge, and now Lapsus Linguae.
Total originality is a myth, but this band really get close. Their seamless blend of avant-classical and post-punk is mystifying. They evade genres, evade clichés, and constantly defy your expectations.
Their website is art. Almost impossible to navigate, every corner is crammed with ridiculous statements and made-up words. They have over 3,000 words in their ‘Our Motives Explained’ section alone. They rant, and they’re arrogant and self-important, but luckily every word of their rant makes perfect, thought provoking sense.
Their music is “Chopin fighting Shellac”. It’s what you’d get if Steve Albini attacked an orchestra, all of it mounted on wheels and sent rolling down a hill. It’s a seamless blend of noisy indie-rock and avant-classical. But it doesn’t sound anything like Godspeed You Black Emperor!, nor does it sound like an awful prog-rock band. This is unique, exciting, new, and as original as a rock band can be.
There are MP3s available on their site (shown below). Sample a few of their songs. You might like it. And if you don’t… go listen to U2 you cunt.
(I’d suggest downloading “Parade!” and “My Numb Left Hand”)
For more information go to: http://www.lapsuslinguae.co.uk
