Syd.31 present an almost perfect example of what would happen if you left The Gothsicles and Atari Teenage Riot in the decks at a party and played them at the same time. The debut album from them, The Last Punks On Earth, is a more than just a mash-up of digital hardcore and industrial though as Syd.31 have a definitive personality prevalent throughout this release.
Their hooks are catchy and their samples nasty. Merging to make something that has the appeal of 90’s Techno while being contemporary in attitude. The Last Punks On Earth sounds exactly like what it says on the tin and directly comes across with the dystopian idea of hi-tech/lo-life. Cyberpunk isn’t dead, it has just been playing Music 2000 through a PSOne Emulator, while the rest of the world went Hip-Hop-centric.
With a collection of bold statements Syd.31 pound their way to completion, however these may seem superficial at first glance but backed up by the rhythm orientated mix they blend mercilessly in to finest Aggrotech. Intoxicating the air with well meaning but over saturated flare. On the flip side (running in the 90’s here) while there is a plethora of leads that boarded the bus to hi-pass city, cutting through traffic, it begs the question as to what happened to the mid-range. These are production choices and add to the house fidelity of the album.
A raw and fun listen Syd.31’s The Last Punks On Earth is a post-industrial artifact that can’t sit still and won’t allow you to sit still either. Given its abrasive texture however this doomsday punk albums’ mildly schizophrenic DNB cum Techno party rides on a road less traveled with some brilliant sights en route to a brave new world.
7/10
