THE UNDERSIDE OF POWER

Description

Deeply immersed in a world blending wild post-punk and gospel, Algiers burst onto the scene in 2015 with a true bombshell of an album, a collection of politically and socially charged incantations. On this self-titled debut album, the trio brilliantly combined their eclectic influences, from Nina Simone and PJ Harvey to Suicide and Public Enemy, into stunning and redemptive music. Hailing from Atlanta, the band members witnessed institutional and racial violence firsthand, prompting them to combat frustration and despair through music, unleashing a roaring, electric call to action. Now a quartet with the permanent addition of former Bloc Party drummer Matt Tong, Algiers has lost none of its rage and multiplies its ambition on The Underside of Power. Recorded in Bristol with Adrian Utley of Portishead and Ali Chant (PJ Harvey, Perfume Genius) on production, Randall Dunn (Sun O)))) on mixing, and Ben Greenberg (The Men, Hubble, Uniform) on post-production, this uncompromising album explores rock, soul, gospel, IDM, industrial, and grime. Even more relevant, this new Algiers record addresses oppression, police violence, dystopia, and hegemonic power structures. The explosive lyrics, referencing T.S. Eliot, the Old Testament, The New Jim Crow, Tamir Rice, and Hannah Arendt, are carried by compositions that are sometimes moving, often wildly electric and saturated, always visceral and impactful. The Underside Of Power is the musical answer to a dark and troubled era. With this truly protest album, Algiers rejects passivity and summons the roots of resistance history. Led by Franklin James Fisher's pen and voice, the collective apprehension about the rise of sinister politics resonates loud and clear. The making of a great album!