Rip Rap - Dropout

Punk music pulled apart to the slow pop gooey fibers holding it's form. Vocals bouncing back and forth between band members. All moved across time like vintage electric football men vibrating to the most sinuous bass playing. Rip Rap has the cutting edge of a very early eighties sound where instruments and thoughts combine driving the stake in the ground and separating punk from what would eventually be lumped as new wave.

Although Rip Rap connects so many points to my early youth, there is a true modern refinement to Dropout. Their approach has patience and clarity. A skilled group of musicians never hiding behind distortion and feedback. Instead the music is crisp, all instruments playing together but clearly decipherable in their own respect. Tones oscillate between the fringe of subdued angst intensity and a well tempered playfulness. The record of my youth that Dropout reminds me of the most is the 1980 album by Pylon titled Gyrate. Even though Rip Rap has its own style and sound the energy, tone and complexity are comparable. Especially if you throw away the close to thirty five years separating the records in release dates. Dropout has the sound of this early era of music but includes a refinement developed from so many experiences in between. The six tracks on this cassette play with the edge of stirring youthfulness adding a rarefaction for the need to push the extreme the entire way through. This is an EP and we can only only hope a full length is planned for the future.

This is out on Dismal Niche, the Columbia, Missouri label bringing sounds to light from seemingly unknown incredibly talented artists. Dropout was released last year and is currently available from the labels bandcamp page. Also my ninth descriptive post For Lost In A Sea Of Sound and Dismal Niche releases. Click here to see other Dismal Niche write ups.




Links
Dismal Niche site - facebook - bandcamp