Brighton’s clean cut, razor-sharp art rock heroes in waiting strike again.
NEW MUSIC | YOUTH SECTOR | WORDS BY KARL JOHNSON
Brighton-based outfit Youth Sector are on the rise. They’re one of the many new artists that have come out of lockdown flying, singles ‘No Fanfare’ and ‘Real Estate’ have propelled them ahead of the pack. Not afraid to flex their pop chops while combining knife-edged rhythmic pulses and breathtaking vocal harmonies, Youth Sector have delivered an unstoppable debut EP in ‘Mundanity’.
‘No Fanfare’ is a stuttering yet hugely energetic opener, and the band’s first introduction to their EP. The track was released in March this year, and signalled the quintet’s furious intent. ‘Real Estate’ picks up where the opener left off but steps it up a level containing one of the most interesting vocal interactions on the release. Exquisitely timed, overlapping vocals are delivered over a growing atmospheric tension, and in typical Youth Sector fashion the track then erupts into a fury of angular guitar grooves and an ever-urgent vocal delivery.
‘Hands’ is Youth Sector at their most rhythm-driven and 70s sounding. The band’s guitarplay sticks in a similar gear but is joined by funk-addled bass grooves and wonky synth solos that adds a complexity and let’s the intensity of their guitar sound settle for a second.
‘Happening’ is a stunning track and a perfect ending to the range of sounds on the EP. The verses take on an almost Ought-esque sound, moving into jarring basslines and a thoughtful post-punk delivery. With a patchwork social commentary and a vocal delivery at it’s most electric when stretched truly to it’s limits, the band finish on a reflective note as synths squeal and fizz like flying saucers and we’re treated to a last-gasp singalong.
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