++ALBUM++ review by Emily Kendrick

THE PRESETS - Apocalypso

Released on Modular

Standing on the outskirts of 'nu-rave' has served The Presets well, but do they have the pannaz to qualify themselves as relevant outsiders? Emily Kendrick finds out, as she reviews their LP of "gurn-tastic" floor fillers...

Uninspired dance albums are usually marked by the pitfalls of boom-clicks, tirades of 4/4 timing, and attempts to mask trashy lyrics.

Lucky for The Presets then, that they’ve stored a few tricks up their sleeves to break from the shackles of sub-standard nostalgia rave. With this record, they’re whipping up something of an interesting follow up to Beams.

"It’s hard to believe that half the album was recorded in a remote Australian farm..."

‘Kicking and Screaming’ is something of a misleading opener, from what is essentially an LP of techno-crunching, gurn-tastic floor fillers. Said track creeps in upon a wave of sinister synths, and when Julian Hamilton’s grappling vocals eventually come in, they sound something like Interpol’s Paul Banks – all deadpan and black of heart.

It’s a smart move from a band who’ve always stood on the outskirts of nu-rave, dipping their toes in whilst sporting a knowing look towards the future – rather than dwelling on haircuts and hideous fabrics.

‘My People’ and ‘Together’ are as close to their former selves as The Presets come; they’re both on the beat, arms-aloft affairs capable of inciting mass dancing. It’s hard to believe that half the album was recorded in a remote Australian farm.

Elsewhere, the piano, waif-like in ‘This Boy’s In Love’, adds a necessary human element, while the over-energetic ‘Eucalyptus’ proves that sometimes it's possible to step too heavily on the gas.

To their credit, they avoid bright and poppy territory, instead opting for minor keys and filthy basslines. Apocalypso is a work you could only imagine streaming live from a sweat filled warehouse party, and it’s all the more exciting for it.

++ Emily Kendrick ++

Artrocker rating: 3

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