Time changes people. It never stops ticking and people never stop adapting. The person you were 7 years ago is a complete shell to who you are now. Sometimes the change is dramatic and sometimes it is dripped over time. Music works pretty much the same and Kingston’s Title Fight have never held back from ruffling the feathers and doing what they want rather than what the scene dictates. The band that attracted acclaim with their fast, emotional melodic punk in the late 00’s have slowly but surely adapted their sound and image to however they see fit. 2012’s effort ‘Floral Green’ saw the seeds of change sewn but now ‘Hyperview’ is the sprouted plant casting its gloomy beauty over whatever it can touch.
As a listening experience, ‘Hyperview’ is as delicate as it is unsightly. As warm as it is chilling. The band has set out to create an album that can compliment a foggy hilltop as strongly as a sepia toned summer. Opener ‘Murder Your Memory’ seeps through the cracks before ‘Chlorine’ digs in with darkened noise and punk drenched soul.The influence of early 90’s misery is present, but not overpowering and intrusive. Throughout an unsettled and daunting atmosphere makes its presence known, but doesn’t drag the record down into the murky depths. This is sadness but not despair. This is the sound of a band that has tweaked and fiddled with their sound freely with no boundaries to make something that is distinctly recognisable but no less individual and unique.
The album flows on with ‘Mrahc’ swaying and toying with disjointed pop capabilities, while ‘Your Pain Is Mine Now’ is romantically lazy and reeks of sepia tone skipped heartbeats. ‘Rose Of Sharon’ is the only track across the record to feature the trademarked gruffness of Ned Russin’s voice, and that further cements the state of Title Fight in 2015. The change may prove too much for the stage diver out there and, at times tracks do come across as very similar and sluggish, but the intent is still strongly there. As ‘Dizzy’ broods and ‘New Vision’ sees out the record in fast, fuzzy fashion there are plenty of new questions posed as there are answered.
Punk as an entity has never been about boundaries and being told what does and doesn’t catagorise it. It is about smashing down the walls, changing perceptions and broadening horizons. It was never made to stay in its self-made box. Title Fight has always opitmised this throughout their career and ‘Hyperview’ sees the band furthering their personal journey into the unknown and the challenging. Those looking for gristle will feel lost here. This is simmering, brooding music made to be given breathing space and examined. If this is the true shape of punk to come, strap yourselves in.
3.5/5
’Hyperview’Title Fight is out now on ANTI- Records.
Title Fight links: Facebook|Twitter|Bandcamp
Words by Jack Rogers (@JackMRog)
