Deliluh - Beneath the Floors

  by Dave Goodwin

published: 24 / 2 / 2020

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Review

Two albums in one year? That’s what Toronto art-punks Deliluh have managed to do with 'Beneath the Floors', their second album of 2019 which has just been released on Tin Angel Records. A darker affair than its predecessor 'Oath of Intent', this follow-up was recorded in the same building just five months later. The LP explores themes surrounding generational disparity, self-affliction and inner-conflict in the face of mortality. You only have to look at the track-listing to realise that all is not normal in Deliuh’s garden shed. Hidden inside this outing are some unusual spoken stories such as the growing opener 'Incantessa', and the curiously-titled first single to come out of this disc 'Lickspittle: A Nut in the Paste' which will grow and grow on you like a psychotic wisteria. Frontman Kyle Knapp explains that Lickspittle “characterizes a naive outcast struggling to swing with an elitist crowd. The subject is a metaphor for the rampant trend of nouveau-bougie horse chocolate popping up all over Toronto: a ‘craft’ class of try-hards, pining for status.” Its not all so raucously mid tempo though as 'Beneath The Floors’ stretches the boundaries with ballads like 'Via 5A' and 'Hangman’s Keep', the latter of which acknowledges the end of the line for three characters hanging off opposite edges of societies margins: a teenage heroin addict, a drought stricken shepherd and a suicidal inmate. Menacing instrumentals 'Falcon Scott Trail' and 'Con Art Inc.' complete one of those albums that has you curious on the first listen and has you even more curious there-on after. Sparse and sinister in some places and raucous and ravaged in others, this is one of this years outside bets for a top ten showing in some quarters. With no real comparisons to draw from, quite bluesy, pure punk and outrageously addictive, this unique sounding offering is well worth a pop.

Track Listing:-

1 Incantessa
2 Lickspittle A Nut In The Paste
3 Hymn
4 Cleat Walker
5 Hangman's Keep
6 Master Keys
7 Via 5A
8 Falcon Scott Trail
9 Con Art Inc.
10 Beneath the Floors

Label Links:-

http://www.tinangelrecords.co.uk/
http://tinangelrecords.tumblr.com/
http://tinangelrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/tinangelrecor
https://twitter.com/tinangelrecords
https://www.youtube.com/user/tinangelr