At first glance the vibrant cartoon cover art of Bad Luck Party could fool you into thinking this is a cuddly and friendly album; but if you look closer you’ll see there’s something bubbling just below the surface. This false sense of security is the modus operandi of the Auckland band. Even in its lighter, poppier moments the album is riven with jagged punk chords and no wave distortion. They quartet are brilliantly versed at combining the surreal with the modern, to form a kind of quasi, post punk psychedelia that will have your head spinning and your senses suitably jangled and pumped by the end of their eleven track debut.
Things start off with the impactful, Twitch, but it’s the killer blend of 90s indie and frantic DIY sounds on Best Girl that grab you like Carrie from beyond the grave and drag you into the rabbit hole. Once there you'll discover sonic delights and discordant monsters to slay.
The unbridled no wave vibe of the Aquarium and downright unstable, Please Waste My Time, holds your attention because of their ferocity. When they delve into the sinister and dark side of humanity on Double Negative and Polio they are able to show aggression without cranking up the volume. Anomaly and Enemies offer a more mainstream respite from the Labyrinth of sounds in an album that resembles a millennial acid trip filled with carefree, acerbic and spiteful lyrics to define the modern world. Despite the album’s often uncaged quality, this doesn’t distract or seem contrived, if anything its part of the fun in an album where anything goes.
Groupie Rating 3/5
