Reviewer: Scott Coomes 10/29/05
Sub-Division: Primos EP (Hard Soul Records)
Noise Rock/Dance. Dark sounding rock with cool moments. Debut EP from Sub-Division. The songs usually begin as traditional rock, but then shift into dance tracks in interesting ways. The tracks often develop through changes in instrumentation, rather than melody. Echoing bratty/punkish female vocals. Last three tracks are remixes of second two songs. Most songs begin with catchy, but dark, bass lines. The reverb/echo modifications manage to mask weak vocals most of the time. The lyrics are difficult to understand and repetitive. Hints of Deerhoof. Best Tracks: 1,3,4.
FCC: Tracks 2, 5 (“bullshit”)
1) “Express” –Cool, subdued bass. Scratchy distortion on guitars. Not much song development once all parts are assembled, but some interesting stop/start dynamics.
2) “Leave Me” –Reverb gives percussion a fuller sound. Repetitive vocals about suicide/murder. Dull but catchy base line. Neato guitars at 2:05. The track becomes a little boring after a while.
3) “Promise” –Starts with bell or xylophone percussion. Pretty melody mingles with cleaner guitar. Scratchy and breathy vocals. Kicks up a little at 1:50 with traditional percussion and some synth. Reminiscent of Deerhoof. Best track on EP.
4) “Promise/Bad Mammal Mix” –Same sweet melody from previous track, but more processed sound. Some glitchy and clipped electronic percussion. Gradually becomes a dance tack. The song disintegrates into electronica at 2:20. Synth.
5) “Leave Me/Kampian Mix/Gillermo Guevara” –Glitchy beat with synthesizer bass. Veers on disco around 1:20.
6) “Leave Me/Inchicoca Mix/Alvaron Ruiz” –Flat vocals, as opposed to earlier echoes. Mostly stripped down from track 1. At 1:17 beat starts. Trippy at 5:00. Goes silent until 7:18, where soft white noise forms a backdrop for brooding male vocals. Breathy moaning female vocals, with dark synth.