Single / No Return

Transatlantic pop dislocators Strange Flesh return with a glitteringly glacial new EP, 'Single / No Return', on House of Zed. Inspired by the arid allure of deserts both hot and cold, the title track explores the desire for flight—from both the exterior world and from oneself—as well as the simultaneous lure and fear of self-exile. The music of 'Single / No Return' follows a similarly ethereal theme to its lyrics: a skeletal, dancehall-tinged beat and bassline underpin Varrick's hypnagogic vocals, with echo-drenched synths and found sounds woven throughout. Next comes the aloof dancefloor pulse of 'Destructive Relaxation', driven by an arpeggiated synth and Varrick's insistent exhortations to 'get up' and 'lie down'. Relaxation has never been Strange Flesh's strong suit, and here we find them wryly embracing their own neuroses. The EP's diaphanous dub textures come into full bloom at its conclusion in 'Single / Dub Return', with a reworked title track now peppered with additional percussion, Monotron, and vocal fragments which swim spectrally in and out of focus.