Strange Bones and Calva Louise, Nine Lives
FKRST Records
Ok, catch your breath before this one. Strange Bones and Calva Louise, aka two of the most relentlessly fiery acts the UK’s seen lately, have just released a tune together: Nine Lives. It’s simultaneously everything you’d expect it to be and a total curveball. They’ve worked together plenty in the past, and have both recently signed to FKRST Records too, and their latest entanglement just goes to show what a fierce match they are.
Where does your mind go when you think of a Strange Bones/Calva Louise combo? Probably pace, pace, pace, a riot of electronica and swirling vocal hooks, utter mosh-pit bait, a dizzying clash of energy. You would be along the right lines with that: Nine Lives locks you in like a rollercoaster seatbelt before flinging you around loops and twists – classic guitar solo? We’ll take one. Jagged, tumultuous riffs? More than you can handle. Syncopated, hissing vocal lines? Growled out to perfection.
What you might not see coming are the notes of Nine Lives that hint at aspects beyond Calva Louise and Strange Bones’ trademark industrial indie-punk – the track’s opening is a breathless bite of golden guitar-punk, replete with fuzzy ooohs that stick with us all the way through the track. Calva Louise and Strange Bones have proven this year on their respective EPs, POPURRÌ and Blitz Pt. 2, that they’re masters of their gritty, explosive craft, and on Nine Lives, they’re just reminding us that they know how to let the fireworks off in any way they please.
Nine Lives is out now.
