CLT DRP have written the album we did not know we needed: completely novel and utterly necessary, Nothing Clever, Just Feelings is out today via Venn Records.
The Brighton-based electro punk trio are following up on their incredible debut album, Without The Eyes, which was widely loved by musicians and critics because of its sheer originality. This second album is everything we loved about Without The Eyes, but expanding into new sounds and with refined instrumentation and production.
CLT DRP have mastered the art of innovating while maintaining the signature sounds that fans love. Scott Reynolds’ guitar and Daphne Koskeridou’s drums continue to test the boundaries between melody and rhythm, building clanging cacophonies which subside into a wide range of different sounds in a genre-defying blend, and continually building to the next burst of noise.
The music writhes behind Annie Dorret’s cutting observations of gender and femininity, illustrating widespread societal issues through deeply personal anecdotes. Their wry tone walks the line between anger and resignation, voicing the lived experiences of women and marginalised genders.
The album bursts open with leading single ‘NEW BOY’: simultaneously vocals, drums and guitar command attention, with the power to break even the weariest of listeners out of a stupor.
This is followed by the title track: a clanging anthem for cognitive dissonance, inner conflict and overthinking, driven by a drumbeat reminiscent of a beating heart. This is soon joined by Reynolds’ layered, industrial guitar sounds, creating a rhythmic and feverish pulse throughout. This frantic and urgent energy echoes lyrics which traverse the turmoil of trying to impress someone who makes you feel rejected.
Aptly named, ‘I see my body through you’, explores body image against a gothic backdrop of perhaps the most traditional rock guitar we’ve heard from Reynolds in CLT DRP. Accompanied by smooth and melodic vocal delivery, for me this track recalls 2000s nu metal and introduces a softer side to the album which is revisited in later tracks.
Listeners are then launched into the chaotic noisecape of ‘Desire / 1 on 1’ and ‘M.U.T.M.’ which blend these more traditional rock sounds with classic CLT DRP industrial, thrashing noise punctuated with playful, dancey interludes. These tracks explore intimacy with self and others through defiant, detached descriptions of deeply vulnerable experiences.
This is then followed by ‘Cake 4 The Women’ which is playful until it’s not, featuring some of the band’s own favourite lyrics from the album: “bruised lungs, high heels”, exploring the aftermath of a night out.
Next up is ‘Only One’, which despite being less than 4 minutes long has a progressive feeling to it, building epic and atmospheric sounds.
Track 8, ‘Daily Affirmations’, is a personal favourite of mine. Opening with a noise like an elastic band being stretched too far, the track explores jealousy, toxic positivity, wellbeing culture and friendships, dissected with Dorret’s keen scalpel.
‘The Door’ sets a sinister scene for the final two tracks of the album, drawing the 80s influences of the band out in a soundscape worthy of Netflix’s Stranger Things. ‘Easier Than This’ is one of the most melodic and atmospheric songs from the album; softer and less chaotic. The instruments revert to more traditional roles, before erupting into noise for the final track, ‘I Put My Baby to Sleep’. This song opens with melodic, metallic drums by Koskeridou accompanied by guitar sounds like a deflating balloon, or an electronic toy losing battery power. Truly original, this track is the perfect closing song. The album ends with whirring, glitching guitar sounds trailing out as if the album itself has exhausted its own energy source.
From the lyrical candour to the musical experimentation, this is arguably the most exciting album of 2023. It’s rare to come across something that has never been done before but CLT DRP have achieved it yet again. Listen to Nothing Clever, Just Feelings, out now via Venn Records.
