If You Like Nine Inch Nails, The Gossip, TV on the Radio, or Nina Simone...

An "If You Like [X] Then You'll Like [Y]" quick hit.

Special Interest. Photo by Kevin Allen.

I know what you’re thinking — what kind of band could possibly sound like every influence I’ve listed in this frankentitle?

You’re right to be suspicious, but it actually gets worse better weirder. There are character limits in newsletter headings. No such luck for you below.

If you like dance punk, glam rock, house, disco, techno, no wave, riot grrrl, jazz, funk, soul, or protest anthems, then you might be very intrigued by Special Interest.

Spotify is just for easy embedding; please purchase directly from Bandcamp.

When I first recommended Special Interest on my Best of 2022 countdown¹, I described their sound as “voguing in the mosh pit.”

I stand by the accuracy of that statement — there is definitely an immediate Paris is Burning feel to Endure, from the stomp-worthy beats to the naked self-expression — but it’s not enough.

The record kicks off with two frantic dance tracks. The first and more industrial “Cherry Blue Intention” sounds like something Death From Above 1979 pulled from a ‘90s rave. You can just imagine it sitting on an MTV Party to Go compilation… one you still want to listen to, anyway.

The second (and also the lead single), “Herman’s House,” turns that same aggressive energy into a (literally) whooping house/disco scorcher. If you’ve been wondering where all the protests songs have gone, start here, with the band’s homage to Black Panther Herman Wallace, and brutal commentary on the incarceration system.

“We'll all be Basquiats for five minutes or Hermans for life.”

The call and response on “Foul” reminds me of Kathleen Hanna or Beth Ditto. “My Displeasure” immediately brings to mind TV on the Radio, but with the darker, more metallic edges of Nine Inch Nails.

I’m obsessed with how Beats per Minute describes “Love Scene” as “Nina Simone fronting Joy Division.” I couldn’t possibly give it a better description, so I’ll have to swipe theirs.

Though it never strays too far from early 2000s influences, this really is one of those perfect New Bands for Old Heads albums — it hits on so many old references from so many genres without ever crossing the line into the derivative.

Let me know what you think.

Would you say you’re… especially interested?

xo

Gabbie

P.S. New music recommendations (whether freshly released or just relatively recent) are always hand-picked and curated with love. If you like what you’re reading, a like or reshare goes a long way.

Listening party! Post-punk from NZ Band Ringlets

Listen to Ringlets’ new record while chatting with the band

• WHEN: Saturday June 21st at 5pm Eastern

• WHERE: NBfOH Discord Server

• HOW: Paid subs, you have the link. Everyone else, get your ticket below.

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