If you’ve read even a few of my posts for The New Pollution, you’ll get the vibe that it’s all about new music, new bands, and the new things they’re doing lately. This will be the case for the most part, however I would like to take the odd stroll down memory lane to connect you with an artist you might have missed in recent years. One such band that never quite exploded in Australia are Moving Units.
They’re a dance-punk band from sunny California. I first heard them on a skateboarding video and I was instantly hooked. The band honed their skills at legendary L.A. nightclub Spaceland back in the early 2000s and then released their first LP, Dangerous Dreams, in 2004 (after a self-titled EP and a single or two). The album is bass-heavy but guitar oriented, while remaining extensively dance-able. Blake Miller’s vocals are the standout attraction, walking a fine line between kick-ass and despair. The long awaited follow up came in 2007, Hexes For Exes, which features a few more of the band’s influences (Joy Division comes through very strongly on one of my favourites, Dark Walls) but doesn’t forget to rock your socks off.
I was actually worried the band were finished until they released a new EP in early 2011, Tension War. The tone of the songs comes off as a little bleaker than usual, but there’s more synth and bass to counter. This contrast definitely radiates glum 80s Britain (in particular, the Bowie sounding Until She Says).
Moving Units are similar to Death From Above 1979, The Rapture and Friendly Fires. Skinny jeans mandatory.
Break…
Moving Units – Between Us And Them
Moving Units – Available
MySpace – Official Site – Bandcamp – Wiki
