Kylie Minoise — Kill Ugly Pop Now!
Waves of distorted beats blast through a murky haze in Kill Ugly Pop Now! Topped with vocals something akin to a tortured Al Jourgensen, Kill isn't your traditional noise record. However, with a title referencing pop music, one should expect something mocking the music which it wants to kill. Tracks like "Electric Death Squad!" play like Delta 9's twisted dreams. Pulsing, distorted beats and tinny, blasted out highs make songs that are almost danceable. The frantic cadence of "Yeah Fuck 'Em All!" pairs up with an equally fast, pounding beat that shifts in tone like a subterranean video game platformer. With this, "Anti-Corporate Euphoria!" seems to take a page out of Devo's book (Devo Corporate Anthem), but rocks a distorted, Legend of Zelda meets "Midnight Cowboy" vibe. Just subtle, distorted crunch on this, and the song benefits from just being itself and not fitting the noise mold. "Mad Murder Maze!" feels like the soundtrack to an industrial horror movie. Picture the boiler room clip from the soundtrack to A Nightmare on Elm Street, and make it crispy. This is a fun stretch of album, and a definite change from the first three tracks. This style continues on "Sacred Violence to Come!" The background keys get a little wonky and feel like a slapped together Elfman theme, but, considering this is a noise record, it's easily passed by. It even gets pretty cheerful...before turning into a noisy, techno-grind bloodbath at the conclusion. Closing out the album is the one true noise raga on Kill. The first half of the album (well, time-wise) was just a tease to what Lea has in store...22 minutes of crunchy, low, active noise. Though a tad muddy with layers interfering with each other and stepping on the others' toes, this crispy slab of tortured layers sounds like thirty albums being played at once through shotgun blasted speakers. Very entertaining.
Kylie Minoise's latest, Kill Ugly Pop Now!, uses a more musical approach to match its title. While a non-traditional noise record, it's pretty entertaining, and very listenable. The final track is the noise standout, but seems a bit out of place on this record. Overall, though, it's a fine release and a nice way to spend 40 or so minutes.