Fingers snapping, clank, rattle and pop goes the latest sonic siren call from Southampton’s HIJERA (pronounced “High-jee-rah”).
The four tracks are big and garage-happy: this is a siren sound of warped, shady and twisted techno fused with indie guitar c. late 80’s early 1990’s style. And it rocks.
It’s a heady concoction. ‘The Pointless Cigarette’ jerks, bumps and grinds a way ever onwards, down a dark, disco-lit, mirrored corridor, until splintered breakbeats come spilling out of the tune. Warped conga rhythms bend it in and out of shape, from alarm clock to biorhythmic electro-funk. Half-insane questions go unanswered and bile infested streams-of-consciousness mash their way in and out of the staccato bounce, whilst radio dial FX and a thumping bass match the clanking deep funk groove step-for step.
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‘Rhythms On The Roof’ is also spot-on. The mantra-like vocal hook is deep down in the midst of a handclapping pulse, distorted and dismantled to reveal another phat-as-fuck breakbeat in full control of the echoing insanity. The whole lot even comes back for a second bite at your head before fading out, job done.
There’s also ‘Chameleon Woman’ and ‘Kosmos’, the latter a slow burning acid-jam; both are low-key tracks that use the same unique blend of dance music and bass-booming funk to stunning effect. As far as Northern retro-pop goes, HIJERA have followed in the footsteps of the first wave of indie heroes, and could well be destined for greatness. Watch this space.
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