by Ian MacPhee (@i_macphee)
Since 2005, Justin Broadrick has been creating slow, hazy, and deafening music under the moniker Jesu. Famed for his work in Godflesh and Napalm Death, Broadrick’s long career has been nothing short of prolific. His project Jesu is best known for cult-classics like 2007’s Conqueror and collaborations with musicians like Mark Kozelek (Sun Kil Moon). On July 1st, Broadrick released a mini-LP entitled Never on his own label Avalanche Recordings. On Never, Broadrick abandons distorted guitar in favor of icy synths and minimal drum machines, but the resulting songs are distinctly Jesu.
Never blurs the lines between electronic music and shoegaze. While his music has always had electronic elements, the new album feels cold and digital. Every sound is heavily manipulated, but the eerie textures perfectly suit the distant world Broadrick conjures with Jesu. Never begins with “Because of You.” This track was released to promote the new material and was paired with a beautifully bleak music video. As watery, synthesized melodies fade in, a heavy kick drum begins to pulse, providing structure to the ambience. Broadrick’s signature vocals float above the drone, and sparse digital drums weave in and out of the mix. Following this track is “Never There For You.” This is arguably the most danceable Jesu song to date, and its club-like beat and pop vocal hook are a far cry from the thick walls of distortion Jesu is best known for. It sounds as though Broadrick discovered new inspiration via laptop, but the change in direction is welcome.
On the title track “Never...” reversed drums sputter and glitch while Broadrick’s bleary vocals glide along the edges. The track ebbs and flows, stripping the layers back to a hypnotic guitar riff before reintroducing the song’s main melody. Meditative and dreamy, the song sounds like part of a lost score for a Gaspar Noe film. “Suffocator” is the closest to the sound Jesu is known for. As Broadrick’s vocals ping-pong left to right, his iconic fuzzed-out guitar blares over a motor-like beat. Never is concluded with “Never There for You (Original Vision),” an alternate version (or original mix?) of the second song on the release. The track wraps up the album beautifully, calling back to the electronic nature of Never.
Jesu’s Never feels like a perfect example of how a mini-LP should function. Clocking in at just over thirty minutes, there’s enough music for listeners to dig into while simultaneously allowing the artist to experiment. The new direction of the music is an exciting offering from Jesu, and a testament to the wealth of creativity stemming from Justin Broadrick. Never is an album that might feel refreshing to longtime Jesu fans and offers new listeners a gateway into Broadrick’s vast discography.