Ei8ht
Self-Released, 2021
9/10
Perhaps best known as the frontman for the British New Wave outfit Fàshiön, Luke Skyscraper James has enjoyed a lengthy and creative career in both music and writing, and this new outfit as This Twisted Wreckage continues his consistently innovative approach to art.
James is aligned with Ricky Humphrey (Nature Kills, Rise) on the record, and “Dancing With Angels” opens the listen with playful drumming, bouncy bass and soulful vocals that float somewhere between the atypical edges of pop and rock, and “Another Ride” continues the imaginative landscape with some proto-punk nods in a gritty yet melodic ‘80s sort of way.
“Honesty” lands in the middle and moves slowly, mysteriously and with firm keys, expressive singing and an ominous quality that embraces hazy synth, too, while “Robogirl” is an upbeat display of buzzing guitars and agile drumming amid a dense approach that flirts with grunge, even.
Some of the later tracks are the best, including the bass acrobatics of the angular, alt-rock influenced “Through The Wall”, and “Digging The Same Hole” exits the listen spacey, tense and full of absorbing textures and emotive singing that pushes the boundaries of iconoclastic rock’n’roll.
An extremely well done debut that tips it hat to post-punk, goth and art-rock while still retaining raw melody and moments of dark beauty, James and Humphrey make every second here an experience you won’t forget and, perhaps most importantly, one you’ll want to revisit again.
Travels well with: Glaare- Your Hellbound Heart; Creux Lies- The Hearth