Much has already been said about East London’s post-punk / performance art outfit Snapped Ankles, but with as is the case with any good folk legend, it demands that it be shared. The four-piece is something of a legend themselves, taking their outward appearance from pages of Ancient Norse folklore and various other tales of woodland spirits and devils, letting nature literally consume themselves, hiding most traces of humanity, to where we’re confronted with a visual of the old breaking into the new. It’s actually incredibly representative of their music when you consider the influences they rub shoulders with, taking a lot from the English new wave / post-punk scene of the 80’s which is undergoing a revival, largely in America. Although this group is worlds (or woods) different from the others and not just in stage prescence, as they have incorporated the visual aspect into the music itself by crafting synthesizers from wooden logs, challenging what is considered a “dangerous instrument” by today’s standards.
“Jonny Guitar Calling Gosta Berlin” is a track that was featured on their EP The Best Light Is The Last Light and will also make its appearance onto their upcoming LP Come Play The Trees. There’s no reason why it shouldn’t either because this a huge, sprawling eight-minute epic of a song. Taking its name from the 1924 film The Saga of Gosta Berling, the track begins with a bright and mezmering synth backing that is sure to be repeated in your head for the rest of the year. The vocals are delivered through a metallic filter that harkens back to groups like The Trashmen, filling the music with enough film references to make the most obscure student beside themselves with joy. Just as we are being carried away by the rich bass, it leaves us into a bed of electronic noise and dims the lights, only to return with a comeback to rival any slasher-film franchise.
Come Play The Trees is due out on 09/29 and is available for pre-order here.
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