Label: Missing Piece Records
Released:Â 16th February 2024
Talk Show have released one of the most jaw-dropping albums of the year so far. ‘Effigy’ is raucous, sexy, explosive and intimate- it requires your full attention. It doubles as a soundtrack to a night of sweaty debauchery at a warehouse rave while simultaneously transcending all meaning and experience – it’s just pure feeling. Wherever the seductive, enticing vocals of Harrison Swann lead you, you obediently follow. The title, ‘Effigy’ – meaning something to be worshipped and despised at the same time – is incredibly fitting, with the album fuelled by equal parts desire and depravity – every emotion is heightened and multi-sensory.
From the multi-layered opening and tech trippy intro of ‘Gold’, the record is immersed in industrial and electronic sound. It’s shimmering, abrasive and distorted, tickling every sense and sonic receptor at once. The 90s references feel warm and familiar, yet the Matrix-esque techno-futurism feels fresh and renewed. The meeting of noise with the production of refined orchestral precision is just outstanding. Blistering guitar riffs pinch and explode to a myriad of electronic synth craziness that is wonderfully deranged and unhinged. It feels out of control and spontaneous yet masterful. Their music captures the intensity, heat and desire you only experience on the maddest nights out.
From the trip-hoppy ‘Oil At The Bottom Of The Drum’ to the rumbling rhythmic fire of ‘Got Sold’, every track will leave you breathless in its brilliance. Few bands harness sound to make us feel and experience quite like Talk Show. This is what music is all about.
