Exit Hippies- Record and Fantasy EP

According to one Mr. Stuart Scharder, who is, if not currently the world's most imminent, then certainly at least currently the world's most interesting punk rock scholar, the hardcore scene in Japan has undergone some very odd and unexpected changes over the last decade; in short, all kinds of noisy Japanese crust punk and d-beat bands have begun doing something that has long been regarded as anathema by many in their circles: they've been fucking with the formula.

Depending on what you're into this could be either a very good or very bad thing.  If you haven't heard enough bands who attempt only to rehash the sounds of Discharge, Conflict, Rudimentary Peni, or whoever, then this sucks for you, as you're now relegated only to the hundreds of bands and thousands of records previously released in those bands' styles.  If, on the other hand you're like me and think that the idea of a crusty Japanese hardcore group who's members moonlight as club DJs, and who mix techno beats into their totally over the top distorted noise-punk, sounds like the most unbelievably rad thing you can possibly imagine then you friend, are in luck, because that is exactly who/what the Exit Hippies are.  They call it 'raver-noise crust'; I call it brilliant.

To put this insanity into context, it's helpful to note that around the time Anthrax and Public Enemy were inspiring legions of misled youths to start rap-rock bands, over in the UK, Top 40 dance-pop group the KLF  unleashed a collaboration far stranger than Bring the Noize, when they elected to record a version of their hit single 3 AM Eternal with grind/crust band Extreme Noise Terror.  The resulting track, much like Bring the Noize, was a much better idea on paper than on wax, but nevertheless the damage was done, and adolescents all over the world were exposed to an unwholesome punk hybrid powerful enough to impact their young minds with the idea that convention should be regarded as something to trample upon rather than adhere to; presumably, the members of the Exit Hippies were amongst them.

Regarding the music on this here piece o' wax, (as well as the music of the Exit Hippies, and their off shoot the Exit Hoppers, in general) I feel compelled to give warning that the combination of crust punk and house beats doesn't really come off in the way you're likely imagining, that is at least if you're imagining tight riff based d-beat hardcore with occasional underlying slick, tempered bass thumps to back it up.  No, what we have here is much more primal and damaged than anything like that, retaining only the most meager elements of the genres which inspired it.  For example, on the A-side of Record and Fantasy, a few seconds of a somewhat traditional sounding hardcore song quickly morphs into a stew of confused screaming and grunting, noisy guitar (which rarely if ever plays a discernible riff), piercing feedback, and rhythmically thumping medium paced club beats. The B-side again launches briefly into vaguely familiar sounding punk territory, before awkwardly segueing into a synth laden hardcore jam so badly recorded it's almost completely incomprehensible; in short it is a really, really, really, good record by a band that is likely currently one of the world's weirdest.

I shouldn't have to say this, but just so you can't say I didn't warn you, be aware that this shit is not casual listening, and assuming that you can make it all the way through this record, by the time it's over you're likely to need a drink of water and a nap....I know I do....but, if you're reading this and drooling over the possibilities of what this record could hold in store for you, you can buy it here or check out the band's myspace here. Also, if you'd like to hear more about the movement spawning mutant Japanese noise-core bands from someone who knows significantly more about this kind of stuff than I do, I highly encourage you to check out the second installment of Shit-Fi Radio here.