THE MALTHUSIAN TRAP – EP REVIEW


The Malthusian Trap – Culture Test EP 

Release Date: Out Now

Plymouth based collective the Malthusian Trap have been holed up making podcasts and cooking up a storm in more ways than one, but they’ve put their collective head (or giant eye) out of the bunker for long enough to fire off this five track EP to keep us keen. The ‘Culture Test’ EP opens with ‘Air Gets Thin’ which is easily the most instant and hooky track the band have come up with to date. This exists somewhere between New Order and Electronic (strong Sumner vibes) with an urgent and pulsating bassline joined by uplifting guitars and the kind of beat that won’t quit before the Shaun Ryder-esque vocal of Damon Foster joins in. This is as strong a start to an EP as I’ve heard recently so put your phone down and pay attention.

‘Bitter Ends’ has a more moody beginning but there’s still a twitchy, urban energy and the guitars cut through the background noise to make way for the snarling, gang vocals to preach their manifesto to the gathered masses. I love the imagery of ‘Butcher’s Apron’ as a title and the track lives up to it’s name with an edgy, menacing delivery of lines like “the butcher’s apron shines like a diamond”. ‘E.W.F.’ confirms that the Malthusian Trap have hit their stride on this EP with a beat that sounds like it’s half a bpm away from being a rave track mixed with dirty guitars that make this sound like Black Futures or Death in Vegas with Kasabian egging them on from behind the production desk.

The EP closes out with ‘Past Lives’, a darker tune that would fit in on the soundtrack to Total Recall or Robocop as the ominous bass notes are scored and seared by guitars. Foster’s moody, breathy vocal mutters from the shadows like your conscience on a bad day – telling you all the things you should start regretting before it’s too late. The Malthusian Trap have always promised huge things and shown genuine creativity but this is the EP, the moment in fact, that the trio hit gold and I can’t urge you strongly enough to get yourself involved. Like, now.



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