Stoke art rockers Formal Sppeedwear release idiosyncratic second single ‘A Dismount.’

Pushing post-punk beyond its logical conclusions, the single screams with twisted synths and drowning vocals.

Photo: Jacob Swetmore | Words: Lloyd Bolton

‘A Dismount’ is an unforgettable song, disobediently discordant and immersively dense. The second single from Stoke-on-Trent art punks Formal Sppeedwear, it shows a group wilfully imposing their personalities on post-punk touchstones to create something distinctively unique.

The mechanical certainty of the drums on this piece bring to mind the industrial experiments of Gary Numan and his Tubeway Army work, though this group are more ready to introduce elements of discordance to their sound. The unforgettable opening riff suggests an asphyxiating synth, so twisted is it that one is not clear exactly what instrument it is coming from. Against this punch the vocals, low in the mix to give the snatches of lyrics their own drowning feeling. Tidy bass playing is the cleanest element of the song, but even this twangs with a metallic chorus effect.

More than simply rehashing the tropes of post-punk, Formal Sppeedwear mold the form to their own demands, reminiscent in this respect of contemporaries EXEK. ‘A Dismount’ is only their second release to date, but it suggests so many possibilities, always an exciting thing to hear in a new band. Stay tuned for their debut EP, releasing late next month…

Written by HARD OF HEARING MUSIC