Never ones to settle down a particular path, Glasshouse Red Spider Mite take cues from their namesake and ditch patience to point the lens at the ghoul of AI with their new single ‘Hell 1000’, out via Memorials of Distinction.
Produced by Louis Milburn of Folly Group fame, the Brighton group take a decisive step away from the restraint of last year’s debut EP ‘What Do You Mean The Monster?…Hahaha’ to deliver a sound whose urgency is necessitated by the burgeoning threat machines pose to the things that make us human. Coming in at half the runtime of any track from their debut, ‘Hell 1000’ still manages to pack just as much of an emotional punch, only this time with a far greater ferocity.
Providing “a glimpse into how our emotions and achievements will mean nothing in the world we give to AI,” vocalist Alex J M Turner warns of this lingering menace with delicate vocals that sit suitably soft in the ears, elegantly placed over an ever evolving swirl of fuzzed out shoegaze guitars.
Whilst built upon the type of post-emo shoegaze foundation you’d associate with the group, there’s plenty of subtle bells and whistles that take ‘Hell 1000’ into its own unique territory. The tumultuous chug of the guitar driven instrumentation forms murky depths that unveils fresh gems with each listen. Culminating in a squealed fuzzy agony reaching for something beyond its natural confines and a melodic guitar line reminiscent of the best of Yuck, this is a track demanding to be felt against the wave of machine-driven numbness.
It’s another exciting turn from a band that refuses to sit still within the confines of expectation. Fresh off being shortlisted for Green Man Rising and with a full UK tour arriving in Autumn, there’s never been a better time to go see for yourself what makes Glasshouse Red Spider Mite such an alluring proposition. Unlike their namesakes who continue to be the bane of greenhouses across the English Riviera, it’s clear they are here for the long haul, and that should be blessed news to anyone who enjoys music with a healthy dose of humanity.
Photo by Emilie Risi
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