Ba'al

The Ba’al stringsmen return with another monthly playlist of tracks we’ve been enjoying of late, and some words explaining our picks.

Chris – Guitar

Childish Gambino – Talk My Shit

New Gambino is, indeed, my shit.

Gojira – Backbone

Olympics opening ceremony, ’nuff said.

Lamb of God – Laid to Rest (HEALTH remix)

Goes harder than it has any right to.

Belore – Storm of an Ancient Age

Going for a wander in the ancient woods.

Hail Spirit Noir – The Blue Dot

Emerged from my comfort music cave to listen to new HSN, did not regret it.

Richard – Bass

Colossal Squid – Faded Acid

My picks this month are all new things I discovered and got excited about in the run up to another superb ArcTanGent festival (alongside the vast list of bands I already knew who smashed it), starting with this track from solo drummer/electronic wizard Adam Betts, a.k.a. Colossal Squid. As well as drumming for Squarepusher, Three Trapped Tigers and more, the Squid manages to find time to churn out this intricate, IDM whirlwind with wild live drum patterns and big synth hooks aplenty.

Doodseskader – Innocence (An Offering)

A bastard hybrid of nu metal and horrible sludge, featuring the current bass player of Amenra – what’s not to love? One minute you’ve got silly groove and rap, the next minute a wall of grinding riff. In all honesty, the sound in a big tent didn’t do them many favours and so they slightly suffered at ATG compared to the insane quality that surrounded them, but as a home listener this has been on repeat for me of late.

Fange – Césarienne Au Noir

Take the heaviest parts of Godflesh, translate into French and add some Fear Factory melodies and you have a good approximation of Fange’s industrial metal racket. Similar to Doodseskader, it effectively mixes fun with serious nastiness, and it’s a raucous good time.

Glassing – Nominal Will

From the Other Side of the Mirror currently has a good shot at being very high up my 2024 AOTY list, and live their combination of the sludgy and the soaring ends of the post metal spectrum was absolutely electric. They levelled the place seemingly effortlessly and it was wonderful.

Hook N Sling ft. Karin Park – Tokyo by Night

Karin Park’s silent disco set at ATG was my long overdue prompt to delve into some of her albums properly, and this month I got really absorbed in her emotional, soft, synthpop world. What I wasn’t expecting (but possibly should have been, given the time of night she played) was just how banging her actual set would be, switching out her sad tones for something much more dancey yet still emotive, including a version of this pumping number. One of many highlights at ATG which fall into the category of Big Beats; my feet think I’ve been to a 4-day rave more than a prog festival.

Nick – Guitar

Doves – Rise

Their later single ‘Black and White Town’ instils a powerful nostalgia in me, I heard it first on an old FIFA game (I want to say 2004?) and the accompanying music video is visually reminiscent of that period of my life. Fast forward 20 years and I inherit a copy of their first album from my dad on which the track ‘Rise’ is contained. Safe to say I missed out on a special album for the last two decades.

Kanonenfieber – Menschenmühle

Was introduced to these via a very pleasant Canadian couple who had travelled all the way to attend Fortress Festival (and also saw us play with Sunken a few days prior). Upon listening to them I entirely understand the enthusiasm with which they were described. WW1 themed blackened death metal with incredible aesthetic, these are mountains of fun with a very serious and poignant anti-war message that utilises real letters written by soldiers during the war.

Respire – The Sun Sets Without Us

An album I was hyped about ever since it was announced, this album picks up right where Black Line left off, and if anything carries a greater emotional rawness. Not an easy listen but a worthwhile one all the same.

Charli xcx – Guess featuring Billie Eilish

Brat summer is still going strong. It was only a matter of time before the transatlantic post-pop queens collaborated and it’s just as good as was promised.

DANGERDOOM – Benzi Box

Idiosyncratic production from DangerMouse, colourful lyricism from DOOM, and a smooth af feature from CeeLo Green. It’s a track that’s even greater than the considerable sum of its parts. A classic earworm.