Black Futures – Never Not Nothing (Music For Nations/Sony)
Black Futures - Never Not Nothing
Release Date: Out Now
There was always a strong
possibility that the debut offering from enigmatic duo Black Futures was going
to be epic but nobody – not even me – expected this. ‘Never Not Nothing’ opens
with ‘N.N.N.’ which broods and slides in to view like an enormous, black
spaceship hovering ominously over an unsuspecting planet. The minute long
instrumental is but an introduction, however, as the deceptively title ‘Love’
strides confidently with a mischievous grin and night vision goggles. Any song
that starts with the line “Ten minutes til the end of the world, make love,
make love” screamed like Keith Flint on his last nerve is going to be a trip
but then throw in the churning guitars, Megalodon beats and the clenched teeth
rapping of guest P.O.S. and you’ve got yourself a race to hell in a sports care
made of fireworks.
Former single ‘Karma, Ya Dig!?’
has a more serene opening with ambient melodies and dreamy vocals before the
industrial clang and clank of the rhythmic melody joins in and another beast is
born. The legend that is Bobby Gillespie joins in on ‘Me.TV’, an update on the
‘Choose Life’ mentality of the 90s that extols the virtues of being part of
something bigger rather than self(ie) obsessed, insular and isolated. On ‘Body
& Soul’ we are treated an electro-grunge tune that explores the separation
of the two elements of existence over the top of a bat-shit crazy beat with
Stephen Hawking guesting on sexy robo-vocals. Black Futures do have the ability
to drop the tempo down but only for the length of a verse as ‘Youthman’ shows
with thoughtful lyrics challenging the temptation to blame young people for
everything giving way to an Aphex Twin-esque tortured chorus. Similarly,
‘Riches’ opens with the laid back vocal of “I don’t care for money and money
don’t care for me” before an angry guitar riff reveals the songs true
intentions.
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There is so much going on here
that you almost have to stand back to appreciate the full scale of what this
two gents have assembled here. However, much like a mosh pit, you can stand back
and admire the chaos or you can rip your shirt off and dive straight in to
experience it for yourself. ‘Tunnel Vision’ maintains that pace has the feel of
a late night car chase through abandoned city streets with a persistent beat
and the kind of vocals you might expect from the Fall. My favourite track is
the Sleaford Mods meets Idles stomp of ‘Gutters’ which employs an angry male
voice choir and a throbbing, Chemical Brothers style beat’n’synth rhythm which
is simultaneously electro and organic in feel. Another former single ‘Trance’
is up next, opening with “I see colour, I see light, I twist my brain til we’re
out of sight – tell me all your secrets, tell me all your secrets” and by the
time the hypnotic, snaking chorus melody drops you’d pretty much do anything
for these guys.
The album finishes up on a twist
with ‘Power Drunk’ which, as far as I can tell, sounds like Jon Spencer, Queens
of the Stone Age and Gorillaz doing the theme tune for a new, post-apocalyptic
version of Annie: Gut Your Gun. The thing is, if you like punk then you’ll
enjoy this. If you like EDM, Dance or electro then you’ll get a kick out of
this. If you like indie-rock or alt-pop then you’ll be able to dance to this.
If you like protest music then you’ve just found a new band to soundtrack your
anger and sense of injustice and despair. If you don’t like any of that stuff
then you probably need this in your life because something somewhere has gone
very wrong. This is the soundtrack to the end of the world as we know it but we
might as well enjoy ourselves while the world burns. As Black Futures say
themselves; “I think we’re too late, I think we’re too late, I think we’re
about 100 years too late”.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/BlackFutures/
Live Dates:
3rd October – Gorilla, Manchester
4th October – Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
5th October – The Garage, Glasgow
6th October – O2 Institute, Birmingham
8th October – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
10th October – The Fleece, Bristol
11th October – Electric Ballroom, London
12th October – Live at Leeds, Leeds
9th November – 2Q Festival, London
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