Deerhoof just dropped their experimental and innovative new album Noble and Godlike in Ruin. Released via Joyful Noise Recordings, the album is a testament to Deerhoof’s ingenuity.
Formed in San Francisco in 1994, Deerhoof consists of Satomi Matsuzaki, Ed Rodriguez, John Dieterich and Greg Saunier. Between them they are absolutely prolific: Noble and Godlike in Ruin is Deerhoof’s 20th album.
There’s a discomfort to Noble and Godlike in Ruin as it highlights how large swathes of society are demonising and dehumanising refugees while simultaneously glorifying and humanising artificial intelligence. Greg writes about ‘Immigrant Songs’:
“It’s what it feels like to see the discourse around immigration get so twisted. The most criminal and barbaric ‘migrant horde’ to invade America was from Europe. There’s a sector of racialised, underpaid immigrants, doing labor white people won’t, who are getting deported and dehumanised in record numbers in recent years”
Surveillance, robots and AI recur as themes. On ‘Kingtoe’ Satomi Matsuzaki sings out “you make machines and I am one”. There’s a brilliant friction between the wild and the computerised throughout the album as machine-like beeps and repetitive drums are juxtaposed with emotionally intense visceral howling. Between the lyrical content and sampling Noble and Godlike in Ruin feels like indie rock from a dystopian science fiction.
Deerhoof are setting off on their World Tour 1 May 2025 and will be hitting UK stages from late July. Don’t miss out on their endlessly radical, creative and unique art-rock.
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