COMING just weeks after Thrill Jockey put out his politically charged, drifting, textured set Shall We Go on Sinning So That Grace May Increase?, The Soft Pink Truth – Drew Daniels of sonic mavericks Matmos – has released a companion album; except this set consists entirely of anarcho-punk covers.
Whereas Shall We Go on Sinning So That Grace May Increase? is all piano motifs and recurring drone washes and textures that put one in mind of Susumu Yokota or Kranky Records, Am I Free To Go?, is engulfed in rage, featuring blistering rave covers of classic crust-punk tracks by Discharge, Totalitär, Doom and Nausea, among others.
Drew explains: “Am I Free To Go? was written as an expression of rage and despair at the ongoing political misery of our present capitalist life-world. I find these songs and the artists that sang them inspiring: they are direct, angry and demanding. I don’t cover them out of mockery or satire. I love these songs and I wanted to play them and play with them. It’s as simple as that.
“Am I Free To Go? was made at the same time as Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase? and in my own mind I think of this record as the “prequel” to that one. Other worlds are possible, but we have to start by taking the measure of the world we are in.”
Am I Free To Go? is available now as a pay-what-you-want digital download, with all profits going to the International Anti-Fascist Legal Defence Fund, which assists people around the world.
An artist of undoubted integrity, Drew added: “If you’re going to sing the words ‘your profit hysteria makes me vomit’ then you shouldn’t be profiting off that action.”
You can stream and purchase Am I Free To Go? at https://thesoftpinktruth.bandcamp.com/album/am-i-free-to-go
