“Handjob” is (to say the least) an interesting title for this melancholic piece of nostalgia. But hey who knows, maybe the members of Atlanta based deadCAT have had some pretty strange sexual experiences in their day. At any rate, its the equivalent of that terrible teacher yelling “SEX!” during the lecture to bring everyone’s attention back to Roman Culture. A caps-lock, attention grabbing ploy that waves a little flag besides the EP’s strongest song.
“Handjob” is a glitchy electronic dream, a series of looped synths, guitars and forlorn vocals that are layered and held together by the stuttering drum-machine backbeat. At its height, it functions as a hazy wall of sound; a vulnerable maximalism that is often stripped down for a moment of clarity. It’s a careful ballad of confusion and guilt; staying emotionally distant with distorted, nearly indecipherable lyrics and a purple, lo-fi fuzz that clouds the melody. A surprisingly tender moment for a group that prides itself on bouncing off the walls with a manic percussive motion that barely manages to keep the rhythm while it spirals out of control.
So give “Handjob” a listen below and if you are so inclined, deadCAT’s four song EP is available for download at their Bandcamp and because we are cool, WUOG had them in for a Live in the Lobby which you can check out at our far superior Bandcamp.
-Will Guerin
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxkW3Rx5eJM[/youtube]