ninehertz

A Leeds band's posthumous recordings on a split release put out by a North East record label? Yep, for the second time we're uncannily in that very, very specific scenario, following on from Belk's recent pairing with Casing, here's Beige Palace taking the mantle of the fallen Yorkshire folk and Lo Egin the band still thankfully making noise, Cruel Nature Recordings the label this time round.

Dubbed anti-rockers on the label description, Beige Palace burned brightly and fast, fondly thought of in the odd, art punk underground, and you hear why, the instruments are used almost minimally - to a degree lesser than usual at least - making room for the vocals and sounding a little unlike the norm, which is of course a good thing. If anything their three tracks become even slower and more stripped back, with daft lyrics like an in joke stream of consciousness back and forth on a hungover morning. On their final track, Update Hello Blue Bag Black Bag I'm once again drawn to this image of a lazy Sunday morning, oddly alluring, before it finally gains some electricity in its second half, a self generated aura that beams outwardly; they seem to have the ability to create this great appeal out of so little.

Lo Egin have been at this a while now, a fascinating, explorative and exciting band to follow. Their first track, nearly eleven minutes long, quickly showcases that rich brew of saxophone, noise rock and rumbling bass bottom end that has been their signature since their start. You're along for the ride, a bumpy road that jolts up and down, until it breaks to quiet past its middle for a couple of minutes or so, a singular guitar which surprisingly has me thinking of Richard Dawson. Their second track, Abomination, is much shorter, a restless electricity to it that brings an inevitable comparison to fellow sax and punk folk Machiavellian Art, but then goes darker and slower, noise rock tipping towards doom, the saxophone off its leash and performing wonders.

Lo Egin prove once again why everyone should be following them, buzzing around this odd medley of noises they mold into uniquely cool sounds, and this split serves as a fitting send off for Beige Palace, captains of not only their own ship but on their own sea, sailing off beyond the horizon.