HTRK

Work (Work, Work)

CD

$24.95

2011 album from London-based Melbourne-born HTRK (pronounced 'hate rock'), debut on Ghostly International. From the instant the first 16rpm-ed 808 beat hurtles you to their own private black hole to the second Jonnine Standish opens her mouth and her unmistakable lush grey voice envelopes you, there's no mistaking you're anywhere but inside a HTRK album. There are few current bands that sound like nothing/no one but THEMSELVES (suck it, Pitchfork). No one else aches like HTRK, no one else winks like HTRK. No one else combines wryness with horror with pleasure with simplicity with eternity with dull, numb edges with razor sharp hurt the way they do. This record makes me visualize (among other things): Lizzie Borden's 'Working Girls' on Xanax, 'Blade Runner' directed by Maya Deren, the famous kiss in 'A Place in the Sun' played on a dying projector, etc. etc. I could go on. Basically this band is on their own plane, and it's a much, much better plane that whatever psuedo-hypnagogic spoilt-child sheeit is clogging up the bloggyveins or whatever they're called. Album of the year? If you're into time-constructs, my homey. -Chris

Staff Reviews

No one else aches like HTRK, no one else winks like HTRK, Review by CP
From the instant the first 16rpm-ed 808 beat hurtles you to their own private black hole to the second Jonnine Standish opens her mouth and her unmistakable lush grey voice envelopes you, there's no mistaking you're anywhere but inside a HTRK album. There are few current bands that sound like nothing/no one but THEMSELVES (suck it, Pitchfork). No one else aches like HTRK, no one else winks like HTRK. No one else combines wryness with horror with pleasure with simplicity with eternity with dull, numb edges with razor sharp hurt the way they do. This record makes me visualize (among other things): Lizzie Borden's 'Working Girls' on Xanax, 'Blade Runner' directed by Maya Deren, the famous kiss in 'A Place in the Sun' played on a dying projector, etc. etc. I could go on. Basically this band is on their own plane, and it's a much, much better plane that whatever psuedo-hypnagogic spoilt-child sheeit is clogging up the bloggyveins or whatever they're called. Album of the year? If you're into time-constructs, my homey. (Posted on 30/11/11)