Album Review: Modern Technology – Service Provider (Human Worth/Cruel Nature Records)

Modern Technology are a London based two-piece, exploring themes of inequality and entitlement, the ongoing climate crisis and society’s ever increasing struggles with social identity and anxiety.

‘Service Provider’ is their first full-length, recorded by Wayne Adams at Bear Bites Horse Studio, with 20% of all proceeds going to charities The Trussell Trust and Black Minds Matter.

Listening to Modern Technology’s debut EP feels dangerous. It feels as though we’re balancing on the edge of a cliff and the smallest breeze will send us tumbling down to the jagged rocks below. Their crude, visceral and uncomfortable brand of noise is the howling wind heading our way.

That is just a part of what we had to say about Modern Technology’s debut EP. An EP that blew us away. Alongside the ‘Exploding Head Sessions’ we’ve enjoyed everything the Londoner’s have put out so far and now we have their debut album to play loud.

Kicking off with Therapy, the in-your face vocals, crashing of drums and fuzzy guitar sends the brain into an instant fugue state. From the gratification given by the blasts of passion to the tension dished out by the echoing concentration, it’s a fantastic start.

Like the gaping hole of darkness that is the tunnel the name is linked too, Blackwall Approach sets the teeth on edge with its monotonous fuzziness. Gate Crusher builds and builds towards the point where no sense can be made of what is going on. Yet, it really grabs hold and thrills.

Twitcher is all about its dissonant and echoing sound, where Modern Technology come off like eerie and threatening messages from space. Whereas All Is Forgiven has a much more relatable rhythm buried amongst the constant brain-aching haze.

Those comments might sound like a complaint but it’s far from it. This is what Modern Technology do and they do it so damn well. Case in point? The incredible assault of Semi-Detached. The squeals, feedback and bassy thrum would be nonsense in less capable hands.

Somehow, Modern Technology have upped their game since the release of their debut EP. A short penultimate offering in Terra Firma and the spectacular Life Like confirming that statement. The former’s initial jarring computer style signals erupting into impossibly heavy doom and the latter taking its foot off the gas for an effective slab of troubling heaviness.

Modern Technology – Service Provider Full Track Listing:

1. Therapy
2. Blackwall Approach
3. Gate Crasher
4. Twitcher
5. All is Forgiven
6. Semi-Detached
7. Terra Firma
8. Life Like

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Cruel Nature Records