Street Pulse Beat from industrial outfit Special interest is one of the best tracks I’ve ever heard. It’s driving beat, dirty guitars, haunting synths and Alli Logout’s chanting vocals combine to create a sound I’ve been dreaming about for about half a decade. You know it’s good when you hear and band and think “damn, why didn’t I write this?”
Special Interest hail from the legendary New Orleans, quickly gaining a reputation for their swirling din of sound in the local venues since their formation in 2015. Since then they have released two full length albums and to get us through 2020 they have provided us a mighty soundtrack for “a world gone mad”. Vocalist Alli Logout, Maria Elena, Ruth Mascelli and Nathan Cassiani make up the band and together are a force to be reckoned with. As an added touch I especially like the 70’s drum machine instead of a drummer.
Industrial music is a very hard genre to make original. It’s been around for a good four decades at this point and only has so many tricks up its sleeve. Yet Special Interest blend a variety of genres into the existing format that it becomes something entirely new. Miss Logout’s vocals are very reminiscent of punk and the riot Grrl movement. The bass line which I believe is played by a very downtuned guitar (listen to that twang and tell me otherwise) and guitar lines in parts remind me of Idles’ more experimental moments and the synths have a dancey vibe only found in the rave clubs of the world.
Special Interest do have a penchant for the avante garde and experimental, which I do appreciate. The manic Disco III is such an example of this, and while I would love to see this live just to saw what brutality takes place in that pit, Street Pulse Beat remains my favourite as it still maintains that all important element of pop. I really hope that Special Interest continue to explore the more commercial style of song writing while sticking true to their experimental roots. They have a wall of sound that is unmatched in the scene today and do it all without being overly edgy like so many unnamed industrial acts. *cough* MSI *cough* This is truly the band I wish I could’ve started myself. They quite simply emanate cool. They make me want to dance and scream at the same time.
Peace, Love and Cowbells,
Oscar