If there’s a style that British musicians do well, it’s angry, brooding punk that feels like an assault to the senses. Isaac Holman and Laurie Vincent, of Slaves, are helping to make you feel guilty for, well, God knows what.
Opening track ‘The Hunter’ is a slow burner that builds as the track gets angrier and angrier, in typical punk style it brings up numerous political issues. It’s a strong start to the album, and that’s exactly what you’d expect from such a release.
Next off the rank is ‘Cheer Up London’ and following on from such a strong track it kind of slips into nothingland. Though hold on for the highlights in ‘Despair and Traffic’, ‘Wow!!! 7AM’ and ‘Sugar Coated Bitter Truth’. My personal favourite is the acoustic raw track, ‘Are You Satisfied?’. It’s an unexpected break from the intensity in past tracks, and while it mightn’t be traditional to the style, it’s a pleasant change.
In a time where songs are totalling five minutes and beyond, it’s nice to listen to an album with short and sweet tracks. Almost as suddenly as it started it’s over, and you want to listen again and again. One of the main appeals of Slaves new album is their ability to feel like they’re talking directly to you – something that’s hard to achieve.
Reviewed by Alexander Lightfoot