The latest Fuzz Club Session in the fast-becoming infamous series has landed. This time it’s the turn of Milanese noise bringers The Gluts, who were dragged aboard Soup Studio, a boat turned recording studio in East London’s Trinity Buoy Wharf.
Already known as a formidable live force and hot on the heels of a mesmerising set at the labels Eindhoven festival, the session sees them scorch their way through six tracks of relentless, grimacing noise-punk that captures the band’s snarling, fuzzed-out power in all it’s glory. Five of the tracks are taken their Fuzz Club released sophomore album Estasi released last year and one comes from debut LP Warsaw (2014).
Opener ‘Ash’ takes no prisoners with its rolling bass line, motorik drum beat and empowered vocals. Its intensity only increases as the track progresses, capturing a hint of the energy this track must exude when performed live. ‘Rag Doll’ is the perfect follow up with its noise and fuzz drenched guitar and vocal interplay. It takes an eerie, almost sinister turn half way through, with the vocals coming to the fore of the sound, creating the effect that they are being channelled straight to the brain. At times it’s almost painful to listen to due to its pure power. ‘Colline Bianche’ takes on a new form from its recorded counterpart, offering pure visceral vitality in the place of dictated control.
‘Ponytails’ is an altogether calmer track, with female vocals adding an ethereal edge and the change in pace allows breathing space within the record. This doesn’t last for long as ‘Squirrel’ takes hold with its insanely catchy countenance and raw edge. Concluding we have ‘That’s Me’, a pulsing rhythm sets the senses alight through the bass and drums working in perfect unison creating a menacing start. The initially haunting vocals progress the track, becoming ever more gravel laden as the guitar takes hold. The vocals become shouted statements, the drumming more complex, the guitar intensifies and the final addition of female vocals to end off. It differs from the album version in all the right ways; they have mastered the art of performing this live and as fantastic as this recording is, it still doesn’t do it justice.
The Gluts are carving a reputation for themselves across Europe as purveyors of the finest post punk on offer and this session recording goes a long way to ensuring they continue to rise.
