Sounds like…
Chaotic punk rock from someone who has clearly had enough of big business shit.
The review
Every year there is always one chaotic album that just doesn’t seem to care. It smears its heart all over your speakers like an explosive ready to detonate. It waves two fingers at the establishment and relishes in the drama. For 2020, that album is Illuminati Hotties ‘FREE IH: This Is Not The One You’ve Been Waiting For’.
In a switch-up of sound from her punk rock/bubblegum cross over debut ‘Kiss Yr Frenemies’, this album feels like a riot. I’m not sure if there is some kind of background to the Free IH but the whole album screams of a woman desperate to let her hair hang down and for it not to be washed. There are 12 tracks in 23 and a half minutes and almost all of them smash unusual riffs together with sarcastic and angry observations of the world around her. The opening track and single is delightfully titled: ‘will I get cancelled if I write a song called ‘if you were a man you’d be so cancelled”. It has a skittish and explosive aggression to it that builds and builds into a growling bellowing bark of guitars, drums and vocals. There are several songs in this ilk that work so well as the punk grunge experimental side of the album.
There are a couple of songs where Illuminati Hotties dabbles a little more with some of the more tongue in cheek satirical craziness that her debut imbued. ‘Content/Bedtime’ is a 60’s seaside rock/punk mashup about content creators going a little nuts inside over their own self-importance. ‘Melatonezone’ and ‘B yr own B’ evokes Charly Bliss vibes with strong riffs and that annoyed sassy college female vibe that works so well with chunky rock. There is no room to breathe aside from the understated euphoria of ‘free dumb’ where pensive guitar chords quietly vibrate and gain momentum under euphoric ‘oohs’. Then you’ll be slapped back to the angry slap across the face with ‘Superiority Complex’ as she declares ‘you want me, you want the real stuff’. The whole album channels various overly egged egos and the more out of proportion their ideas are – the more chaotic the song tends to be. Its absolutely beautiful and utter chaos in tandem and I love it.
Everyone needs that one piece of chaos in their music collection that sends them spiralling into a riff smashing punk icon. Illuminati Hotties brings you one of the best. Just don’t cancel me plz.
Recommended track: will I get cancelled if I write a song called ‘if you were a man you’d be so cancelled’
Support Higher Plain Music
Higher Plain Music is part of the Higher Plain Network – a one-man indie media project. If you like what I do, please consider supporting me via Patreon for as little as $1/£1 a month. In return, you’ll receive additional perks for supporting me, such as behind-the-scenes content and free downloads. You can also donate using PayPal. Sharing the website helps too or using the affiliate buy now links on reviews. I receive a few pence per Amazon sale. All your support will enable me to produce better content, more often. I’d love to make this a full-time media network and your support can make that happen. Thank you.
Illuminati Hotties - FREE IH This Is Not The One You've Been Waiting For
