Pardon our potty mouth, but Twinkranes debut is a fucking mess of a record. However, it’s a great mess. Not afraid to place a filthy bassline that sounds like ‘Bomber’ by Motorhead right beside a tribal drumbeat and hippy vocals (‘Witch Hunt’), the psychedelic trio from Dublin display a thrilling sense of adventure. Fusing elements of dance, prog, punk and (most importantly) krautrock, Spektrum Theatre Snakes is filthier than a rummage through Lady GaGa’s knicker drawer – all seven tracks provide excellent examples of just how powerful “outsider” music can be.
‘High Tekk Train Wreck’ bludgeons you over the head with thumping drum fills, ‘Fizz Not Feedback’ is a trippy, buzzing joy to hear and ‘The Charmer’ is an insane nu-jazz jam that could soundtrack a collective freakout in Charles Manson’s cell. Legend has it that Twinkranes recorded their album live in three days, and you can almost see the sweat drip off the walls on songs such as ‘Put Up A Light’. While some may baulk at the oddness of the record, it’s easily one of the best Irish releases of the year. So go on, take a walk on the weird side. You won’t regret it.