'The Three Thieves'
The Mekano
Set have had nobody to thank but themselves for the praise and
airplay they've received. The group have maintained the DIY ideals of
the early 80's punk scene and, like their music, have updated it into
a modern and effective package. Proving time and again to be a
“thinking man's band”, they blend 80's post-punk and shoegaze
with 90's trip-hop and ambient crafting releases such as 'Maastricht
Circle', 'Black Asprin' and now their new EP 'The Three Thieves' with
exceptional skill.
The EP kicks off with
the catchy 'No Place' with it's jagged and punky bass line, which is
augmented by searing synthesizers and the morose baritone of Milk.
'Loom' goes into more trip-hop territory with it's distinctive beats
and synthesizers, but its the psychedelic bass gives it that haunting
soul that the band are so good at creating. 'Sumni' slowly builds
into a post-Curtis New Order style dance track with a Peter Hook
inspired bassline and up-beat rhythms.
'Plavitsa' maintains
the pace of it's predecessor but this time veering into the territory
of the likes of pre-Acid House The Shamen with it's shoegaze groove
and dance appeal. 'Crashback' then heads back into more sinister
waters with it's ambient electronics and central driving beat. The EP
is rounded off with 'What Is Whit?', which again borrows heavily from
the band's dark ambient influences constructing a sinister drone
around an even more sinister sample for a nightmarish 26 minute
finale.
This is another solid
and interesting release from The Mekano Set, which once again proves
that they are one of the most interesting art rock groups in the UK
today. The album is at times dance friendly and at others
introspective, but always dark and intelligent. The band have not
compromised on their unique approach to writing and constructing
songs, and it continues to pay off.