ALBUM REVIEW: Sublimation – Girls In Synthesis

After releasing two critically acclaimed albums in the form of 2020’s Now Here’s An Echo From Your Future and 2022’s The Rest Is Distraction, London based post-punk three-piece GIRLS IN SYNTHESIS are back with their third release: Sublimation. Self-described as a dark, twisted and angular pop record, GIRLS IN SYNTHESIS have created an 11-track soundtrack reflecting the harsh reality we currently live in.

While GIRLS IN SYNTHESIS might describe Sublimation as a “dark pop album”, this is pop in the same vein as early KILLING JOKE: dark and gothic, but still with hooks and melodies that will stay with the listener long after the album runtime. While this makes Sublimation a less harsh listen than their earlier offerings, the group’s trademark powerhouse rhythm section is still present and the main driving force of the record. 

Speaking of KILLING JOKE, their influence and that of similar early 80s post-punk innovators can be heard all over Sublimation. Vocalist John Linger sounds like an amalgamation of Jaz Colman, Ian Dury and Joe Strummer, aggressive but still vulnerable. The guitar work has all the hallmarks of that post-punk scene, sounding spikey and angular while still accessible. In particular, the main riff from second track Deceit sounds like it was ripped straight Geordie Walker‘s fretboard. 

Much more prominent this time around on Sublimation is the addition of keyboards that add a more gothic feel to GIRLS IN SYNTHESIS’ sound. Sounding distorted and almost church organ-like on tracks like I Judge Myself, The Prefix and Corrupting Memories, it transforms them into sounding like some sort of dark, monochrome sermon. They complement the tracks well without being overpowering and add an extra layer of depth.   

Monochrome is an accurate word to describe the overall sound of Sublimation. The aggression from GIRLS IN SYNTHESIS’ previous material is certainly still here, but by stripping back their trademark wall of sound it allows the quiet parts to sound just as oppressive as when they are on full throttle. Opening track Lights Out highlights this well; it features a sparse build-up of swirling electronics, guitar, and drums before picking up the stomp halfway through. It’s a post-rock cliché, but the quiet parts do make heavier parts pack more of a punch.

On Sublimation, GIRLS IN SYNTHESIS may have toned down the heaviness in a traditional sense but they have created something equally bleak while incorporating more melody into their sound. For fans of the late 70s/early 80s punk this is a fantastic interpretation brought into the modern day. 

Rating: 8/10

Sublimation is out now via Own It Music.

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