Girls In Synthesis – Konsumrausch 12″ EP (Hound Gawd! Records)

I am starting the week with another excellent release from Hound Gawd! Records. If you aren’t familiar with this German record label, I highly advise you to check out their roster. There’s no chance you won’t find something for yourself because their catalog spans many music genres. It’s been a while since I heard anything by Girls In Synthesis. I remember being hooked on their Arterial Movements 7″ so much that I will probably need to grab another copy of that release. Before and in the meantime, the band published many singles, such as The Mound/Disappear, Pressure, Arterial Movements, Arterial Movements/Pressure, The Images Agree/Images Dub, and They’re Not Listening/Listening Dub. There is also Now Here’s An Echo From Your Future LP, a compilation called Pre/Post: A Collection 2016-2018, and extended play releases like In Dub, Suburban Hell, and Shift In State. As you probably noticed, Girls In Synthesis have been busy during the past five years, and the best part about this band is the fact they continuously evolve with each release. That’s also the case with Konsumrausch, their latest 12″ EP, released by Hound Gawd! Records.

Konsumrausch carries five excellent post-punk compositions. Hound Dawg and the band heavily promoted this release with Enveloped and Bypassing, two superb singles that serve as more than adequate introductory pieces to this EP. For those stumbling upon this band for the first time, their music explores the vast universe of the post-punk genre, but it comes with a twist. Girls In Synthesis decided to avoid all the cliches of the genre by enhancing the sound to the point when their music leans more toward goth rock, anarcho-punk, noise-punk, coldwave, and industrial. Still, Girls In Synthesis remained loyal to the roots by any means, plus all the beforementioned additions perfectly paired with the post-punk foundations of their sound. The band used all these elements on the previous recordings, but somehow everything sounds more dominant on Konsumrausch. These compositions would also sound good without all these additions, but because of their presence, they resonate even better. Konsumrausch is a dark, cold, bleak, noisy release for those listeners who want something more from good old post-punk, and you will unquestionably love it too.

To me, that particular noisiness, dirtiness, and abrasiveness enhance Konsumrausch to the point where all the guitar segments, basslines, and rhythmic acrobatics sound even more complex. These creative musicians paid so much attention while assembling these numbers, but those pleasant layers of various noises make a big difference. This particular EP will especially come in handy during those times when you get bored from the classic post-punk aesthetics, so you crave something more exciting. I have to admit I especially enjoyed those moments when the traditional post-punk movements clashed with experimental noise. Even then, those layers of glitchiness, fuzziness, and dirtiness are not spoiling the listening experience. The melodic aspect of Konsumrausch is equally brilliant as well. You will also enjoy the noisy riffs, cleverly assembled basslines, and powerful rhythmic maneuvers. Besides all of this, Konsumrausch also follows the punk rock tradition by lacking soapy, mellow, calmy melodies, harmonies, and themes. The funny thing about this EP is that you’ll barely notice this tiny detail while listening to it for the first time, and maybe you won’t notice it at all.

It’s because Konsumrausch perfectly applies to your listening apparatus even though it’s not a profoundly melodic music release. The band solely relies upon the beforementioned noisiness, abrasiveness, coldness, and aggression to achieve desired sound without making any compromises. Their tracks have the purpose of forcing you to think outside the box. It’s a piece of protest music for the times when the harsh reality strikes us on a daily basis, and you’ll realize the importance of the Konsumrausch EP once you spin this vinyl on your turntable. Konsrumrausch EP comes on 12″ vinyl accompanied by minimalistic but effective monochrome cover artwork. The band always focuses on similar visual aesthetics, and it pairs perfectly with their sound. Head over to Hound Gawd! for more information about ordering.