Awesome isn’t a word often used outside of extreme sports and society fringing try-hard circles with any real sincerity. The impression it gives off is more intrinsically linked to the “hello there, fellow kids” vibe than it is to its actual meaning. When it comes to the sheer frenetic prowess of the Brighton-borne Opus Kink, however, no other word comes to mind that can encapsulate the sound of their explosive new track ‘This Train‘, out now via Nice Swan Records.
A frantic, pounding rhythm lifts the song from the first second, paired with paranoia-inducing voices that sweep the soundscape as the tension builds up with all the grace and subtlety of a bloody great locomotive. Eventually the volatility of it all blows the proverbial shell to smithereens; a forceful, frantic firestorm of shrieking horns and brooding vocal lines march along, marshalled by the sharp wash of cymbals percussion; synths and the like being broken and bent within an inch of their lives. The sheer madness of it all only brings the listening ear closer, eagerly stomping along to the cacophony and emoting a riotous attitude that would be well at home in the dark, sweaty venues that Opus Kink find themselves well at home in.
It’s no wonder that their label, Nice Swan Records, has garnered a reputation for itself as one of the most exciting independent record labels going right now. Alongside releases from the likes of Sports Team, Pip Blom, Hotel Lux & FUR, ‘This Train’ holds the band’s weight at the same level as experimental legends Black Midi, or even the up-and-coming stompers Black Country, New Road. The uncompromising arrangement and production (courtesy of Tim Burgess) of the single shows off their love for their art, and is a perfect condiment to any hazy summer pre-drink as we move out of the stifling lockdown period.
Discussing their forthcoming release, the group revealed: “This Train is a hell-for-leather ride through humanity’s self-destructive tendencies and futile battle against nature, flipping on its head the old adage that ‘this train is bound for glory’”.
Listen to ‘This Train’ here:
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