The PC crowd’s eyes might bug over the cover art of Blxpltn’s debut full-length, a Sambo-esque policeman igniting a wooden cross, but such provocations are inherent to these righteous electro-punks’ mission of waking you up to political oppression and racial inequality. The local outfit’s nine-song clip of anti-authority anthems fires a kill shot with “Train (Get Out),” running jagged synth blasts under percussionist Taszlin Muerte and bassist Jonathan Horstmann’s accusations of microchip brain implants and spy drones before guitarist Khattie Q’s crusty shriek ushers a brutal industrial breakdown. The trio’s aggressive melee of drum pad beats, filtered bass, synth outbursts, and scuzz guitar tones comes craftily sewn by …Trail of Dead’s Autry Fulbright and Ringo Deathstarr’s Elliott Frazier, who produced the album after initial tracking by recently deceased keyboardist wiz Ikey Owens. It’s an impressive debut stocked with anger and outrage that boils over with world-on-my-back frustration on “Pressure” and police profiling call-out “Stop & Frisk.” Unity prevails on the best track, “Start Fires,” when Horstmann sings “Set fires, stop fighting, you’re a tiger, I’m a lion.” Translation: Fight the man.
This article appears in Dan Patrick.