I Saw The Light, But Turned It Off is a very insightful statement but it’s also the debut album from the Finnish duo Rainbowlicker. Taking inspiration from the riot grrrl soundtrack with gothic tendencies the lazerpunk couple are hooked on funk and reeling on profanity.
Taking the best bits of both previously mentioned genres and dabbling in their fashion Rainbowlicker sound like Die Antwoord dancing to Wang Rong Rollin (if you don’t know who that is; YouTube it and thank me later.) Yet Rainbowlicker have such a strong identity that those comparisons are loose at best. The Finnish duo are mastering their craft and together their skills are exponential to the many layers of dark, dank and dangerous musings they perpetuate on their first album.
The haunting OST to a conservative nightmare I Saw The Light, But Turned It Off is complete with everything to make even the most po-faced presbytarian blush. These eclectic and definitely eccentric songs are more colourful than Salvador Dali’s palette, and just as dynamic. Containing more energy than your average caffeine drink and more spirit than a litre bottle of Vodka.
The compositions with their razor sharp leads and deep thrumming baselines, complimented by the demented aggravation of singer Peps (ex-Creepy Crawlie) are grisly floor stompers. Each song amplified by a hypnotic cadence simmering away like bubbles in a stew from the gruesome vocals. Although too complicated to be tribal the angry rhythms add volume to already spirited compositions. Taking you beyond the status quo of repetitive generic music into a world of shadows and dreams coming loose around the seems.
Utilizing the synthetic ensembles at their disposal Rainbowlicker have got a diverse orchestration for their socio-political grievances Johan (ex-Beastmilk) and Peps are reigning diversity down through their music like a rainbow. Which makes two very apt names to cough at in lieu of their virtuous expression. Lick rainbows kids. While there might not be a pot of gold at the end of I Saw The Light, But Turned It Off there’s certainly a cornucopia of very conductive material.
9/10
