Track Of The Day Human Program
Stalwart of Ohio alternative underground rock scene, Minneapolis-based Dylan McCartney is a multi-faceted artist insanely devourers of records, books, movies and figurative art constantly striving for new suggestions and inspirations.
“I am always creating is because I’m always absorbing” he significantly revealed in an interview I had this Spring (here).
Gifted of pretty genuine songwriting talent, besides being the drummer of longstanding punksters Vacation, Dylan was also the frontman of the sadly recently disbanded hectic garage/post-punk combo Mardou and somehow involved with The Serfs.
Human Program is his last coldwave project as a duo together with Rachel McNeal, fresh from dropping a, ridiculously limited (15 copies), promo cassette single titled “Moons At The Gate” via fellow DIY label Wasted Tapes, runs by former Mardou’s guitarist Dakota. Three versions of the title track plus ‘the seminal’ “Bacteria”, possibly the most refined of the lot.
Lured, as usual, by its DIY post-punk aesthetic, and recalling his fondness about the genre, he cited also the song “Recall” from our early 80’s Italo cult outfit Frigidaire Tango as one of his obsessions, I can’t help but pick “Bacteria” as TOTD.
Dense, minimalistic, cold and oddly narcotic, “Bacteria” unleashes severe and meandering commanding bass line that refuses to wilt, but pulses relentlessly headlong, in sync with precision-steady fast-paced drumbeats, challenged by profound yet subdued, hissing and seething synth drones in the background, around deadpan vocals delivering his distictive oblique lyrics, strained with bleak layers of sorrow and grief.
Lurking in the darkened icy shadows of early ‘80s Euro coldwave, “Bacteria” is repleted with stark, hypnotyc, stripped-down sound of lo-fi charm, restrained unpassionate energy, and achingly heartfelt abrupt intensity.
Catch Human Program live, presented by Wasted Tapes, at Cincinnati’s The Mockbee @themockbee next October 22, with Civic Center (CHI), Science Man (Buffalo), Nervous Tick (Buffalo) & Felixx Moon.
