Now approaching its end, 2015 has seen the electronic beats and pulsing rhythms of a wickedly nostalgic ‘80s movement gathering serious momentum. We’ve already heard sickly-sweet anthems from the likes of Swim Deep, whilst Canadian duo Strange & Primitive is reviving one of the decade’s darker tones. With a sound that brings together a Neolithic tribe and electronica, their single ‘Difficulties Be Damned’ certainly offers a different take on the era of spandex and big hair.

Jeff Musgrave and Graham Fish come from a new generation of creatives who challenge the perception of convention in their work and, whether it be pushing the boundaries of sonic exploration or creating a four minute Claymation video for their single ‘Eureka’, it’s very different from what everyone else has to offer. Trip-hop signals send you into a musically induced coma and perfectly capture the aim of their self-titled debut album: to propel you on a “cerebral journey through sound and space”.

‘Difficulties Be Damned’ undoubtedly does this in a way that’s both intelligent and engaging. Its repetitive nature sucks you in until you too have become a part of this journey of illusion and curiosity.

With the band’s album being released in late November, we can expect a perpetual journey through robotic synths and enigmatic instrumentation in a wakening call to sounds of the distant future. Strange & Primitive are hypnotically contagious so, having already seduced the American continent, it’s about time they made it across the Atlantic to the UK.

Strange & Primitive’s self-titled debut album is out 20 November via The Deep Floor Inc.

 

Will Castile
@engelskdreng