The endless waves of talent emanating from New Zealand continues unabated with the glorious sounds of System Corporation. System Corporation has within it the genes of the legendary The Datsuns – commencing with Phil Somervell and long standing Datsuns engineer Scott Newth who were later joined by Datsuns’ bandmate Ben Cole on drums, and Andrew and Kent Newth (Rumpus Room). The new EP, “Apathy is Easy” contains full-throated guitar driven anthemic blasts that evoke the passion and drive of eighties bands such as Killing Joke and Echo and the Bunnymen. Even, dare I say, early U2 before the bloat.
Opening track, “Apathy is Easy” has three different edits. It is has an insistent driving rhythm the creates a mesmeric wash, decrying the state of modern politics: “This touches on how political leaders try to sway you one way or another. But the idea that Apathy Is Easy stems from the growing number of people who don’t vote, as they don’t feel they can make a difference, or none of the leaders speak to them or for them, or they just don’t understand politics and so do not participate,” says Scott Newth.
Second track, “Dismal Universal Hiss” is classic indie rock with riffs catchier than superglue and a soaring, heart lifting melody. It is brilliant, pounding rock that somehow captures that indefinable element of the New Zealand music scene:
System Corporation (named, curiously enough, after the Swedish state-controlled alcohol distribution system) will be releasing an album, “Fiction Dep.”, in late 2018. Anthemic songs? Intelligent lyrics? Guitars? New Zealand? I can’t wait.
