Webcuts Music

HTRK have always been a difficult band to love. Once you got used to their decaying minimalism and the anonymity that pervaded their artwork, you realised they weren’t a band seeking attention, merely like-minded souls to tumble down their rabbit hole. They weren’t looking for you, you were looking for them. They ply romance as being one of their tenets, but their music is neither romantic nor seductive. More confessions of bitterness and jealousy from a self-loathing voyeur unable to look away from what attracts them, or the last words of a dying emotion.

Work (Work, Work) is the sound of HTRK collecting themselves after tragedy and loss. A difficult time creates a difficult album.

Following the tragic loss of bassist Sean Stewart in March of 2010, Australian electro-noirists HTRK make their welcome return via double A-side 12″ single “Eat Yr Heart”/”Sweetheart” released ahead of their forthcoming second album Work (Work, Work). With a rumbling bass and an echoing 808, “Eat Yr Heart” is clearly cut from the same bleak [...]

Forever known as Nick Cave’s red right hand in the Birthday Party, Rowland was the purveyor of that skeletal, metallic guitar style that along with the bass growl of Tracey Pew, defined the sound of the band. Speaking to Static’s Chris Berkley, only a few weeks before his passing, Rowland S. Howard recounts his extensive career and his brief return to music with Pop Crimes.

Ipso Facto recently trimmed the fat, excising keyboardist Cherish Kaya in favour of the perfect rock triangle. The sound is now suitably streamlined, focussed and finessed — the girls now move a like well-oiled, well-coiled machine.

New No Wave or Narco-Electro? Whatever the case, Marry Me Tonight is well worth making an engagement with…

HTRK Lexington, London 9th March 2009 I first witnessed Melbourne/Berlin noise-makers HTRK in action at a time where any favourable impression would not come forthwith. This was in a dingy low ceilinged East London venue that should’ve had ‘CONDEMNED BUILDING’ written all over it. It was as if someone had kicked open the doors, installed [...]