Hauntropics is like the greatest soundtrack for a movie that’s yet to be made. Part Guy Ritchie Indie Gangster Flick mixed with the synthetic brilliance of the ’80’s, Curvs has encapsulated all of these unique sounds to make a cohesive and thoroughly engaging album that’ll resound long after the closing notes ring out.
They even have a song called “Airwolf Ghandi” fer chrissakes! That’s right! Combining a legendary activist with an equally legendary helicopter for a song that simultaneously lays down wailing guitars, shiny synths, propelling beats, and earnest vox is a surefire way to keep the kids lurking around enough to hear what’s next.
And what’s next is truly captivating! Like “Atlantic Cologne” with this weird Wall Of Voodoo meets Ladytron vibe, these creepy Bauhaus/The Soft Moon-style guitar lines, and a little bit of Carpenter Brut thrown in for good measure. Then the track just opens UP at the 2:30 mark and gallops furiously towards its’ conclusion.
“Avian” is like a leftover from the Tron: Legacy score, maybe from a deleted scene where the main characters explore the seedy underbelly of The Grid, with a a little Reggae flair (Think The Police version of Reggae). “Bamboo Town” is an eerie, grinding slab of hypnotic electronic bliss in the vein of Massive Attack’s more out there work.
“Khyber Pass Pt 1” has echoes of 100th Window while its’ companion (“Khyber Pass Pt 2”) is a groove-laden psych jam. You want more ’80’s nostalgia? Then try “Don Johnson” and its’ B-52’s meets Devo aesthetic…sung by Kurt Cobain. No, really! And it works. Really, really well.
Hauntropics is out on March 16th through Fysisk Format. Get yours by clicking here now. For the latest on Curvs and more, head on over here.