ALBUM REVIEW: Diaspora Problems – Soul Glo
The idea of hardcore as a genre that’s resistant to change feels wholly unfair at this point. It may have started with strictly-defined parameters, but few scenes have morphed and evolved quite like it. Even pioneers like BAD BRAINS and BLACK FLAG were quick to start pushing the envelope, while more recently the likes of TURNSTILE and VEIN.FM have dragged it kicking and screaming in just about every direction one can imagine. All this is to say that this Friday the genre takes another step forward in the hands of SOUL GLO. Conceptualised over a five-year period from 2016 to 2021, the Philadelphian four-piece’s fourth album Diaspora Problems sounds quite unlike anything in hardcore’s long and storied history.
Recorded in an unfinished warehouse and produced by the band themselves, Diaspora Problems is raw, urgent and fearlessly aggressive. At its heart sits a radically political streak, with lyrics seeking to raise awareness and prompt introspection in equal measure. On recent single Driponomics for example, the band team up with rapper Mother Maryrose to provide an anthem for lower-income and working class people “doing what they have to do to get by and to get fly.” Naturally, there isn’t much room for compromise, with the band baying for capitalist blood in an incendiary exploration of economic inequality.
Of course, Diaspora Problems has every intention of being just as revolutionary in its music as its politics. While previous SOUL GLO releases have pushed at hardcore’s outermost edges, this record arguably takes it further than ever. Over 12 tracks, the band distil punk, screamo, noise, hip-hop and more into an urgent, chaotic and utterly compelling mix. It leaves a lasting impression after just a single listen, although it definitely benefits from many more than that; there’s just so much to unpack here, from the band’s tinkering with electronics and samples, to their sporadic brassy embellishments. Crucially, SOUL GLO tie it all together with impressive grace, to the extent that it seems to make perfect sense that the big-bounce hip-hop of the aforementioned Driponomics and the tortured screamo of tenth track John J would appear on the same album.
Perhaps the sharpest tool in SOUL GLO’s arsenal is their mesmerisingly rabid vocalist Pierce Jordan. Their delivery never falters, insisting on their listeners’ undivided attention regardless of their chosen style at any given time. Opener Gold Chain Punk (whogonbeatmyass) proves this outright, with Jordan flitting from lightning fast rapping to raw and rasping screams and shouts with whiplash-inducing intensity. Lead single Jump!! (Or Get Jumped!!!)((by the future)) reveals similar versatility, while fourth track Fucked Up If True even sees them resort to all-out gutturals. The music matches their passion every step of the way, with the overall result practically impossible to turn away from.
All this and more means that Diaspora Problems’ relatively sizable 39-minute runtime absolutely flies by. This is an intense, abrasive record that grabs its listeners by the throat and just refuses to let go, but you won’t hear any complaints here. A genuinely fresh and urgent addition to the hardcore landscape, this is what the genre should be all about. With one of the band’s intentions to inspire similar creativity, Diaspora Problems could well mark the dawn of a new era with SOUL GLO right at the forefront.
Rating: 9/10
Diaspora Problems is set for release on March 25th via Epitaph Records.
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