Once proclaimed by Tom Robinson at BBC6 as “fantastic life-affirming noise”, local fusion art-noiseniks ChopChop are back with brand new four-track EP ‘Elastico’.
Cities like Brighton need bands like ChopChop. Home-spinning their music via the grassroots cottage industry that is Rose Hill Records, they are intensely creative outsider artists, the lifeblood of the underground town; more interested in the produce than the payola. And as if to reinforce the artisanal point, there is a limited release of 30 lathe cut 12″ vinyl alongside the usual digital offering. The band have regularly released music that is all about their signature agitated, urgent, spoken-word sound and ‘Elastico’ is a welcome addition to their eclectic back catalogue.
The record starts off with the surprisingly reserved title track. It lopes along, but doesn’t really venture past demonstrating the band’s virtuoso electro-jazz musicianship. The introspective ‘Weatherman’ has more urgency and the not-inconsiderable talents of vocalist Xelis De Toro are fully revealed. He is the tincture that keeps this particularly strange brew boiling and his oblique, philosophical musings, all delivered in his thick accent, are the centrepiece of the EP.
Things start to get really interesting with third track ‘Lost My Space’. De Toro skits and skats his way through the tune as his band bring things to a mighty fine crescendo. But it is in the finale that the EP really finds its feet. ‘Shake It’ is big and bold and by far the best track, like nothing else you’ll hear this year. It features a Mexicana trumpet and a neat turn of pace and as the final bars arrive, the atmosphere created is discordant and deliciously dark.
ChopChop don’t quite translate as well on record as their borderline bonkers live shows, the production feels a little too clean and controlled for that, but if this EP serves as a calling card that entices you to one of their wonderfully intense live performances then it has done its job admirably.
‘Elastico’ is released on 3rd March on Rose Hill Records
Melting Vinyl present ChopChop at The Hope & Ruin on Saturday 4th March 2023
www.chopchopsounds.com
