by Jare C (@jareccurtis)
As the year rounds out, looking over the releases, it’s very clear that New York has really become the destination for the cutting edge of new post-punk. While a lot of bands are delivering truly unique and innovative releases, few of them have managed to deliver anything with quite the same energy and intensity as Pons. On their latest album, The Liquid Self, the three piece has constructed a shipwrecked concept album that is as lyrically dense as it is full of driving, brooding atmosphere, and chaotic ups and downs.
On first listen of The Liquid Self, you’re more than likely to be immediately gripped by the manic energy in every facet of the performance. The guitars wail from floor to ceiling, the drums crash and shatter like waves hitting the rocks, and the bombastic vocal performances cut through the mix with a deep drown manic energy that creates a truly powerful and chaotic experience. While this could feel overwhelming in the hands of another band, Pons tackles this sound with a particularly groove-centered sensibility. This allows for the entire record to become a steady stream of an experience, and the story the band is telling, while pretty simple, becomes remarkably enjoyable within the soundscape they’ve created.
The record starts off with “Fish Out Of Water,” a pounding instrumental riff that feels as if the band is about to put on a punk rendition of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, as a flooding instrumental orchestration creates a swirling whirlpool of sound around the listener. From there, each track flows seamlessly into the next, with a wide variety of mood and rhythm pushing the listener through. With truly inspired drums and chanting gang vocals that give way to a splintering and danceable guitar passage, the thunderous “Hooks” is one of the best rock songs of the year. More cuts, such as the pulsating “Flounder” and the sneaky, trippy, “Doctor Octopus” add layer upon layer to the driven, rhythmic construction of the record. With this latest release, Pons has made it clear that they are one of the tightest, fiercest bands working right now, and it ultimately begs the question: when can we see them live?