HTRK - Nostalgia

  by Dave Goodwin

published: 27 / 11 / 2019

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Review

We live in weird times, I keep telling myself. I put this album onto my iPod and off I went, and soon found myself likening this to a futuristic industrialized Norman Collier. I soon found out it was in fact the third rate BT earphones I had bought that were making this album strange. Then I realised, with all the clicks and pops of an old vinyl record and the sound of a ticking grandfather clock, together with what can only be described as an exploding mouse's head, that this was 'Hate Rock Trio', the first track on the album 'Nostalgia' by HTRK. Described as an abrasive record shrouded in sonorous pulses, deafening feedback and tension-soaked reverb that immerses you deep into their world, and sounding like something between Throbbing Gristle and Sonic Youth, HTRK's seminal debut gets a new cut to white vinyl with white sleeve and gloss cover. It was only around a third into the second track 'Look What's Been Done' that I could decipher anything like a melody. Now, HTRK are said to purvey lo-fi post-punk, post-industrial noise-electronica that resembles Suicide, Throbbing Gristle and Joy Division. Unfortunately I can't see any likeness to most of those but here's the thing...I've listened to this a few times now and each time it gets better until...wait for it...it really sounds quite good...in places. In fact, the further one gets into the album the more commercial it sounds. 'Look Down the Line', the third track. is strangely addictive with vocals from jonnine Standish that remind me of Death and the Maiden and Bad Sav. Apparently Nostalgia took inspiration from the sound and imagery of David Lynch, the Birthday Party, electronic artist Pita and Rowland S Howard's Teenage Snuff Film'. Okay, so it's loud and abrasive and full of industrial echoed and strident noise, but it is compelling to say the least.

Track Listing:-

1 Hate Rock Trio
2 Look What's Been Done
3 Look Down The Line
4 Look At That Girl
5 Look At Her
6 You Injured Me
7 I'm All Broke Up

Label Links:-

https://twitter.com/firerecordings
https://www.facebook.com/Firerecords
http://www.firerecords.com/
https://firerecords.bandcamp.com/
https://instagram.com/fire_records/
https://www.youtube.com/user/Firerecor