Just so you have a fancy new fact to throw at your friends, the Latin origin of the word ‘antipodes’ is that of ‘those who dwell on the opposite side of the Earth’. This grunge-fuelled noise pop trio is more than aware of the corner of the world they hail from, and Popstrangers aren’t making any apologies for it.
Known for their energetic performances, the recorded counterpart is undeniably different to the powerful in-person experience. While it’s always difficult to transfer the live energy of raw, distorted guitar clangs and hi-hat smashes, Popstrangers do seem to be missing something special on the LP. It’s not to say that the recordings are bad in any way – just that their on-stage presence is a hard spectacle to top.
With an unmistakable Kiwi drawl, Joel Flyger’s wails and murmurs are unabashed and unhurried on the record. The vocals on tracks such as Cats Eyes and 404 are reminiscent of a younger Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine), and the overall sound certainly harks to their Bloody predecessors. After all, it’s hard not to notice the sonic influences of seminal post-punk groups like The Cure and Pixies – those being solid foundations to build upon.
While tracks like Witches Hand and Heaven are strong standouts (the latter gaining rave reviews from Pitchfork), there are some tracks that really let the album down. Occasion is, in all honesty, boring. Drawn out with moody vocals and sparse guitars over six minutes, the end result is something genuinely droll and over-indulgent. The songs on the album are quite clearly divided: a few are uninspiring, several are passable, but a few are simply magical. They’ve been hailed as the Millenials’ answer to the shoegaze void, and with exceptional offerings like What Else Could They Do it’s easy to see why.
Overall, Antipodes is a pretty solid effort, showcasing a sonic unit with much potential. This is definitely a band you want to keep your eye on.
BY JOSH LING
Best Track: What Else Could They Do
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: CLOUD NOTHINGS, UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA, 1995
In A Word: Promising
