“You’ll never guess which segments fracture under stress.“
Of all the curveballs 2023 has offered up, a return of Crime In Stereo is among the more unexpected. With their last release more than a decade ago, the band shifted from hardcore punk into the world of post-punk/alternative more succinctly than anyone else. Tracks such as “Type One” and “Small Skeletal” exist as magical tracks of their discography, even if there were those who wanted a return to the sound of Explosives and the Will To Use Them (2004). Once again, Crime In Stereo stake their bold claim, in an age that is disorientated as ever.
Early on, Crime In Stereo bounce between the personal and the political, as opener “Pensioner” laments “Eventually, we will we all be, dead,” before hurtling into the loaded “Superyacht Ecopark“. Short and snappy, striking at the global imbalance of reasonability rattles House & Trance awake. The more intricate moments enter after this, as the drum rudiments pace themselves to and fro, and this blended with the guitar is where Crime in Stereo return to their toe-tapping nature of previous records.
The record continues with “Hypernormalisation“, which can only be seen as a nod to the Adam Curtis documentary from a fair few years back. A large track with pedalled riffs, yelling “What the fuck is wrong with everyone,” loads a punch that has not been seen from Crime In Stereo for a while, even if it’s admittedly a little on-the-nose. Following track “We Can Build You” is where the uncertainty around House & Trance begins to settle in.
While comparisons to the past have always been somewhat of a burden, especially between the transition of their hardcore punk most notably found on Explosives and the Will To Use Them to the post-rock/punk stylings of Is Dead (2007), detractors of this sound were silenced by the quality Is Dead and later record I Was Trying To Describe You To Someone (2010) delivered. “Small Skeletal“, “Type One“, and “Republica” were grand tracks that are arguably some of Crime In Stereo‘s best material.
As House & Trance makes it through “Goliathette“, there seems to be some little bit of Crime In Stereo magic missing, lacking the almost emotive air as the tracks pondered on the personal and the political. Even the powerful message of “Books Cannot Be Killed By Fire” feels lyrically obtuse in its delivery, although the age-old sentiment does perhaps need repeating during these current times.
Title track “House / Trance” has an impressive flow to it, which manages to somewhat pull the record back in. The plucked guitar work has a nice ’00s feel to it and a really nice hook to it. As “Autotourniquet” laments “Oh super-user, the lights are always, you do it to yourself when you put your money down,” the brooding nature of Crime In Stereo possesses a spark of an odd warmth, akin to that of previous records. Departing House & Trance comes “Skells“. “I hope you crash the whole goddam planet into the sun,” sings Dunne, as the paced track indulges in the cynicism towards the modern world.
It’s difficult to know where to place House & Trance on the dial. There is nothing overtly wrong with the record, yet its cynical and at times misanthropic nature, while the aim, makes for a dour listen that doesn’t give a sense of wanting to be returned to. It ultimately only adds to the rose-tinted nostalgia of bygone records from Crime In Stereo, rather than sparking excitement for what could come down the line.
5/10
House & Trance releases this Friday, October 27th, via Pure Noise Records, and you can pre-order it here.