Every day, I sift through the hundreds of tracks that bombard my inbox. On a biweekly basis, I tell you about the two artists whose music most impressed me. This time it's Anglo-Japanese surf-rock alchemists the Routes and earthy and airy Seattle synth-pop trio Mt Fog.
The Routes, "She's Lost Control" (Topsy-Turvy Records)
The Routes have this one special trick, and it works pretty well. The Anglo-Japanese band cover songs by cult-favorite bands in a surf-rock style—with no vocals and mucho twang. So far in this series of tubular homages, they've pulled off interesting renovations of well-known tunes by German electronic-music pioneers Kraftwerk (2022's The Twang Machine) and British pop-punk deities the Buzzcocks (2023's Reverberation Addict). Spoiler alert: the rendition of "The Robots" sounds anything but robotic; the repaved "Autobahn" motors down the same lane that Chuck Berry and early Beach Boys once did.
The Buzzcocks stunt didn’t come off as well as the Kraftwerk release, because the British punks' music isn't different enough to lend the Routes' revamps the advantage of surprise. But what the Routes did excel at is boldfacing these songs' melodic strength through their vocal-free, stripped-down interpretations.
Now, the Routes—who are led by Scottish-born guitarist Chris Jack and include drummer Bryan Styles and bassist Toru Nishimuta—have tackled the canon of post-punk's holiest bovine, Joy Division, with Surfin' Pleasures, and it seems likely that the late Ian Curtis wouldn't be mad at it. After all, one of Curtis's idols, Iggy Pop, is a Routes fan.
Narrowing the tracklist to 12 JD songs must have been tough, but the Routes did a solid job in capturing high points from the Manchester legends' small discography. Of course, "Love Will Tear Us Apart" appears, and it's suitably anthemic, but, as I've noted, I don't need to hear this song ever again. "A Means to an End" loses some of its terminal-doom vibes here, gaining a swift jauntiness that some JD fans may find blasphemous. The group skillfully captures the exciting wax/wane structure of "Digital" and somehow makes "These Days" sound even more solemn than the original. The peppier tempo that the Routes apply to the sublime ballad "Atmosphere" is a bold, if not totally successful, gesture, while "Dead Souls" comes across as incongruously chipper. But credit to the Routes for showing some unfaithfulness.
"Transmission" receives a nuanced treatment that embellishes the original's emphatic vocal delivery with well-articulated guitar radiance. "Ice Age" is the JD song that's most adaptable to the surf-rock framework, and the Routes really whip into shape. The goth-dance-club sensation from Closer, "Isolation," gets a spiffy makeover that loosens the rhythm and irradiates the main synth motif with florid guitar fluency. "She's Lost Control" benefits from an increased tempo and urgency, as the Routes torque the song into a whirlwind of extreme emotions. And their full-chested run through of "Ceremony" intensifies the triumphant beauty of the melody, in the process surpassing even New Order's version.
If you're a Joy Division fan, you'll definitely be curious about how their songs translate into surf-rock instrumentals. Whether you dig or loathe 'em depends on how precious you are about this most seriously regarded of rock groups. Me, I look forward to the Routes' next radical reinterpretation.
Mt Fog, "Drifting" (Ghost Mountain Records)
Over the last five years, Mt Fog founder Carolyn B. has been carving out a distinctive niche in Seattle's musical underground. Drawing inspiration from Kate Bush, Cocteau Twins, and Tiny Vipers, this keyboardist/vocalist creates enchanting pop that skews toward goth without succumbing to any genre clichés. It's at once ethereal and rhythmically robust, so even as the songs soar for the heavens, they're punching it out on Earth.
Now consisting of Carolyn B., drummer Andy Sells (Afrocop, Select Level), and bassist Casey Rosebridge, Mt Fog have blossomed from a bedroom solo project to a full-fledged band poised to significantly expand their fan base. Carolyn's gorgeous, supple singing is the focal point—expressive yet rarely prone to histrionics.
Mt Fog's third album Ultraviolet Heart Machine, carries a timeless thesis statement by the bandleader: "Ultimately the universe is connected in a vast elemental cycle. I think love is cosmic glue holding it all together." It begins with its most danceable and upbeat song, "Drifting," on which Carolyn's vocal melisma and timbre recall Sinéad O'Connor and Björk. Bolstered by Rosebridge's buoyant bass line, Sells's staccato funk beats, and a synth motif that positively sparkles as it swells, this track genuinely sounds like a hit single. "Carried Deeper" veers into subtly spooky post-punk territory, like a less dramatic Siouxsie & the Banshees, while the quirky electronic pop of "It's Mycelial" seethes with non-corny new-wave undertones as Carolyn likens the nutritional network of fungal threads to human connections.
Another danceable highlight is "Slowly Morphing," whose scything, girthy bass part locks in with the economical beats, like a Northwestern take on Pylon, as Carolyn relates a tale of intense transformation. "Crumbling" is an extreme love song that sounds like early Depeche Mode, but with a greater sense of playfulness and real, funky drums.
"Soft Center," stealthily insinuates itself into your mind and heart with a gently sinuous synth motif and a bass line that's as comforting as a bear hug. It's an unusual choice for a single, as it's pretty understated, but the melody's utterly charming and Carolyn's powerful yet vulnerable vocal performance seals the deal.
