Utopia: Banished - Escape Strategies

Utopia: Banished recently released the intriguingly entitled ‘escape strategies’ EP.

By the time its first note reached my ears, “here we are”, I mumbled, “some nine inch nails-esque act”. Vocals quietly resembling Trent’s, they certainly do not copy them though. Regarding the very music, this is a pell-mell breed in its entirety, raw industrial rock featuring indie alternative references; if you ask me, I believe sonic youth influences also occur. Plus, musical outbreaks are somewhat reminiscent of the cobainalla ones. This entanglement is of such beauty, one wills not to eject the cd! Down tempo interludes and sudden bursts serve this band a musical style, completely differing from my listening so far.

Seek not for balance, for this colorless EP is a bald industrial rock/ indie/ brain damage musical phenomenon. This outfit dares to offer an EP, different, which is much, but mainstream, and experiment with such difficult sounds to produce an artistic result that annihilates all remaining brain cells ( in a fair way, naturally). In wait for the full length to be released; personally, I’ve been charmed.

tracklist:
01 | Knifes (come back in fashion) (5:38)
02 | Breach (6:10)
03 | Everything falls into place (4:35)
04 | Untitled No.4 (3:33)
05 | Pass the flask (7:36)

8/10  Kostas Sotiriou