Modern rock, what is it? I have no clue as to what that definition implies in terms of sound. Moderate rock is not something I personally care for. When it comes to creating living and breathing music, restraint and moderation should never be included in the equation. Tunabunny diabolically crosses conventional boundaries with “Kingdom Technology” to fuse together an album like no other in the current musical wasteland that pollutes us. A concoction of 80s Paisley Underground, NYC No Wave, and electro damaged melody infiltrate these alluring and unstable compositions of hypnotic back alley fuzz-pop. A memorable experience akin to that mysterious someone who comes onto the scene and no one can figure out what secret agenda is lurking within their coy interactions.
“Airless Spaces” starts the album with a sugary nightmarish drone that haunts with an undignified grace while the static noise and intense understatement of rhythm pushes this movement along. Tracks such as “Good God Awful” and “Canaries In Mineshafts” provide a more linear post-punk process that remains spikey yet steady in its composition. The overall effect is one of electro diversity that sounds like Siouxsie and the Banshees hijacked the recording session for Iggy Pop’s “Zombie Birdhouse”. If it’s possible to combine Avant-Punk, symphonic spaciousness, and trance inducing electro beats, this band accomplishes that lofty musical mission on all levels. “Save It Up” and “Bag of Bones” crush and seduce with their relentless automated hallucination sequences. Brigette Herron and Mary Jane Hassell provide the lush and carnal atmosphere with Jesse Stinnard providing the percussion, electronica, and analog recording of the band’s finest hour.
If you dig ABBA Gold, 4AD releases, and the erratic output of The Fall, you’ll be all over this band. The vocals stand above and beyond with a certain sweet-sinister harmony that focuses outward by making itself another instrument for the band to deconstruct with. If Dancing Queen was playing in the background of your bad dreams last night, this album is calling you. A new approach that sounds massive captures recordings taking place in the band members’ living rooms using obscure audio devices and homemade sound manipulation. My pick for the “hit” off this album is definitely the Paisley Underground influenced “Coming For You”. The fourteen tracks contained on here follow a logical sequence that uses irrational daydreaming as a guide. Even better is that this album is available in its proper format of vinyl, so it plays as a real record should. “Kingdom Technology” flows from beginning to end with its own interludes and subplots of electro-damage, vocal beauty, and jagged guitar chording. I would definitely keep your eye on this band. This entity is onto something that the rest of us don’t know yet. Get a taste while it lasts...
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