So you get to thinking that they must have better basements across the Atlantic. It doesn’t really matter where in the USA or Canada that a band comes from – Terror Bird hail from Vancouver – those basements must be the place for musical exorcism of the soul.
“Human Culture” looks home cultivated with its pink screenprinted sleeve and one thing is for certain - the music contained within its tightly packed grooves certainly doesn’t seem to like the daylight. Pull the curtains, however, and turn down those lights and the duck taped minimalism of this duo swings right into focus. Then, the sound just about clears up and you can see under the clouds that follow the songs everywhere they go. Admittedly, some of them (“She’s a Revolutionary”, for example) sound like a bedroom demo on the loose but high fidelity wouldn’t ever have been the aim here with Nikki Never’s voice sitting back in the mix often lost in echo and reverb. Pay attention though, for she makes her point if you listen hard enough and, while she never burns with the fire of our own Lonelady ,she can squeeze despair out of a stone in a way that torch singers of old could do Just the way you want it in a basement.
The minimalist synth pop of “We Were Monsters” is probably the most friendly to the ears but even that seems fuelled by feelings of discontent. Otherwise, it seems like the very minimum has been done her to turn sentiment into song. Repetitive rhythms running around very basic arrangements should lead to the rapid onset of boredom but that is not what happens here. Instead, this album seems planned to underwhelm the listener leaving just enough musical bait to encourage a return visit. Return to the album again and it just gets better with the metaphorical spotlight suddenly getting shone on the salient points of the songs. Finally, it all makes sense.
The vinyl was mastered by Pete Swanson (as all good underground indie electro should be). The pressing quality of this clear vinyl copy was OK.