I usually think originality in music is overrated. It seems that for music critics, a lack of originality is an all too readily available stick to hit artists with. But every now and then you come across a record that clicks with you precisely because it sounds so absolutely different and nonconformist. Dissipation of Clouds, The Barrier, the new LP by Italian anarchopunks A Culture Of Killing is that record. ACOK deliver a brand of post-punk that is quirky, dark and gothy, and features African and Jamaican rhythms, talksinging, screaming and call-and-response vocals. It’s powerful stuff that’s simultaneously delicate and brutal, dissonant yet melodic. ACOK defy categorization, it’s like they’ve moulded (and perfected!) a musical genre of their own. It’s a genre that goes beyond what I usually listen to, but I’m blown away by the sheer power of this collection of songs. Just a quick tip, do not quickly scan this one, play the whole songs, front-to-back. ACOK are like sci-fi world builders and they offer a wealth of ideas to explore and discover throughout the record.
Dissipation of Clouds, The Barrier is out February 3 through Drunken Sailor Records.
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