Atari Teenage Riot

Bands don't come much more crucial to a musical movement or moment in time as Atari Teenage Riot. Throughout the 90s, the Berlin-outfit spearheaded a new style of music known as 'digital hardcore' which essentially took the hardest elements of any kind of electronic music that was exploding at the time and pushed them to their very extremes. Across records such as 'The Future Of War' and '60 Second Wipeout', they would arm themselves with drum machines and set them to the fastest paces and coldest tones, whilst yelling leftist-political sentiments over them in a very punk fashion. They split in the early 2000s, but did make a return at the start of the decade with strong efforts 'Is This Hyperreal?' in 2011 and 2015's 'Reset.'

Without them pushing such forward-thinking ideas, it's really hard to imagine a world without punk/noise-rap artists like Death Grips and JPEGMAFIA, just like it'd be hard to imagine a world without punk/hardcore bands who've blended electronics into their sound like Vein or Code Orange. ATR hit Islington's O2 Academy tonight to fully display their importance to thrilling effect. 

Before tonight's main event though we have techno duo KALLI MA, who don't exactly reinvent the wheel but do provide a rhythmic pulse to sync you into a warm-up groove. Following that is Zan Lylons who delivers an atmospheric drone in a really unique way. He has a violin plugged into his gear and furiously strums away, giving off some misty, engulfing tones, all whilst obscure clips of a lady crawling through a field and falling in an abyss reinforce the experience in the backdrop.

Continue reading: Atari Teenage Riot - Islington O2 Academy, London 02.05.2019 Live Review

Another weekend of stomping New Rocks, flying dreads and mind-blowing music is over for another year, but Infest 2016 will go down as one of the most memorable editions of the event's history, not least for a line-up that was as diverse as it was exhilarating.

As usual, everything besides the music was spot on at the Bradford University venue. The menu gets fuller every year; you go to Infest, you will eat like a king (which is probably how this festival goer managed to stay sober). The merch stand went down a treat, and as usual the alternative clothing traders had plenty to offer in terms of jewellery, Latex, PVC, corsets and more. 

Friday

Continue reading: Infest 2016 - Live Review

If you ever wondered what it would feel like to be trapped inside a Marxist washing machine, then this is the album for you. Your stomach will churn and turn as Atari Teenage Riot's thudding beats fling you hither and thither, spinning you and dizzying you. You'll try to surrender, to lose yourself in the swilling testosterone, but Alec Empire, Nic Endo and CX Kidtronik won't let you relax; there's a class war to wage. 'Capitalism! You're a little fat man in a big expensive car, hanging over a ravine here!', they scream. 'There's a unified axis of government and corporate power! Lawless and unrestrained!'. Slogans and rallying cries abound.

Continue reading: Atari Teenage Riot, Is This Hyperreal? Album Review