reviews

Ape Kill Ape
Damn Dirty Apes

exploding like sniper fire into the malaysian underground scene with their self funded mini-album entitled Valve State Dreams in 2001, these boys from Penang, Malaysia have come a long and winding way. experiencing line-up changes and forged alliances with some of the most hardened veterans in the malaysian music scene, the damn dirty apes were a secret too good to last.

ape kill ape marks their swansong album of sorts as the band is currently defunct. but what a swansong it is. who would have thunk it- beach boys endorsing their love for classic cult movies and obvious leanings towards post-rock staples (Godspeed you Black Emperor, Mogwai and Sigur Ros), and doing it well too.

each of the tracks in this album is soundtrack worthy. not as conceptually sound as Valve State Dreams, their sophomore effort is slightly more of a mish-mash of ideas, as one would expect of a band that was on the verge of disintegration (the album was recorded just before the band's split and mixed after the split). still, each track is unique in its own right, dreams, star wars infused rebel, and in tents being my personal favourites.

the band is still a long way from creating its own definitive sound, although if asked to describe it, i would tell you the damn dirty apes are a more masculine version of mogwai (not saying that mogwai is in any way 'un-masculine'). but listen to them and i hope you get what i mean.

for a good taste of the depth of sheer sonic bliss the damn dirty apes are capable of crafting, take a listen to in tents - unfortunately short (compared to the more long winded closer, feedbach), the track is post-rock opera if ever such a thing existed.

the boys are young and their forays overseas for education will come to end soon and when they (hopefully) regroup and work on their music seriously, just remember you heard it here first.

for free downloads and more info on the band, visit their website at :-

http://www.noisemonkies.com

track list :

APE KILL APE

1 BILLIONS OF BLISTERING BLUE BARNACLES
2 ADORABLE
3 DREAM
4 ALLIED RUINED
5 REBEL SCUM
6 WISDOM
7 E MINOR BELLS
8 ERIC
9 IN TENTS
10 FEEDBACH

lydia, if you're reading this- let me know what you think of the tracks!