by Ian MacPhee (@i_macphee)
Freak Heat Waves are back with their latest album Zap The Planet. The new release finds the two-piece dipping into darker musical territory, and it’s their most realized work to date. Zap The Planet is an experiment in cold, warped synthesizer and 80’s drum machines, and the songs are alluringly ominous. Released on Telephone Explosion, Zap The Planet is a perfect album to block out the sun and escape into.
Freak Heat Waves is the brainchild of Thomas Di Ninno and Steven Lind, and the band have been honing their sound since their 2012 self-titled debut. After one member made the move from the band’s previous home base of Victoria, British Columbia to Ontario, Canada, the duo were forced to work separately, resulting in a major change in the songwriting process. Through distance the band re-invented how they worked, adopting new gear, techniques, and creative approaches.
The band’s music is a mix of post-punk, goth, and Movement era New Order, yet nothing is derivative. On “Busted” Lind’s baritone croon floats above complex drum machine patterns and synth stabs. The song is simultaneously minimal and musically dense due to it’s excellent production. “Dripping Visions” follows a similar formula, but leans more towards the droning, hypnotic sounds of krautrock. The Ian Curtis-like vocals of Lind combined with the looping synth bass give the track an almost psychedelic air, and “Dripping Visions” is a highlight of Zap The Planet.
The album ends with “Nothing Lasts Forever.” The track has a mellow dream-pop vibe but is still sonically cohesive with the rest of the album. A plucky guitar riff and synthesizers blur alongside a repeating bass line, and the drums take on an almost tropical sound. The drawled vocals create a daydream-like atmosphere and the dynamic songwriting draws you in. The song is like a gloomy summer vacation and pairs perfectly with headphones.
On Zap The Planet, Freak Heat Waves demonstrate total control over their art. The pair conjure a unique world within their music that is both downtrodden and comforting. The album feels like it could be a lost film noir score, and it’s a fitting accompaniment for the isolating days of quarantine.