The Entertainment Experts: German metallers Electric Callboy cement their meteoric rise with emphatic album ‘TEKKNO’

Rishi Shah on 20 September 2022

When Electric Callboy introduced their new singer Nico Sallach to the world in the depths of the pandemic via ‘Hypa Hypa’, the domino effect of fame and laughter that would ensue could not have even been anticipated by the band themselves. Two years on – with a rebranded name and a momentous live set to match – the band have pioneered their way to the forefront of a genre that is capturing thousands of hearts and minds all across the globe. Their latest album TEKKNO proves just why this ambitious blend of cheesy choruses and monstrous metal has lifted them to arenas – and beyond.

Despite the unprecedented reaction to ‘Hypa Hypa’, it takes a seriously talented and innovative artist to follow it up with five new singles that are currently trending higher on streaming platforms. Indeed, the likes of lead singles ‘Spaceman,’ ‘Pump It’ and ‘We Got The Moves’ exemplify Callboy in their full strength, mixing spectacular hooks with throbbing verses before descending into anarchy via the notorious crushing breakdowns associated with their roots.

You know what you’re getting with Electric Callboy. They’ve managed to carve out a new identity through the lens of costume-laden, hilarious music videos featuring wigs, workouts and all things weird and wonderful. This identity centres around collaboration and community, with the captivating vocals of Conquer Divide soaring through ‘Fuckboi’ being just one example among rappers, YouTubers and other personalities.

The harsh synths of ‘Mindreader’ prelude arguably the album’s most explosive, old-school riff, providing a more minor, darker twist in the heart of the album – Callboy can still do the basics just as well as any other band. The form mirrors the content in ‘Tekkno Train’, transporting us straight back to the party we all signed up for – with the accompanying palpitating rhythms, of course.

‘Arrow of Love’ and ‘Neon’ are two standout tracks on the record, where Sallach flexes his vocal cords with impeccable highs to equilibrate the bellowing lows of Kevin Ratajczak that have added this newfounded dynamism to Callboy. A stadium-like closing number, the reflective nostalgia of the repeated lyric ‘We were ready to fly / we were nothing but close to the sky’ is an emotional end to an album filled with flair and entertainment.

London’s cavernous Brixton Academy will play host to the show of a generation next April, when Callboy play their largest ever UK headline show following a string of more intimate dates later this month. A deserving stage, for a band who has crafted a unique character and mastered that craft, with unparalleled dare and ambition.

‘TEKKNO’ is out now, and you can find an interview with Electric Callboy from Slam Dunk Festival, Leeds in June 2022 here.

Leeds alumni Alt-J change up their eclectic sound on new album ‘The Dream’

George Bolger on 28 February 2022

From Crypto to COVID, our own University of Leeds alumni Alt-j released their latest album ‘The Dream’ last week with yet another changeup to their eclectic sound.

With a divergence from the more uncouth and messy sound of 2017’s ‘Relaxer’, The opening track ‘Bane’ sets a great tone for the themes of vice and memory found within the album with its dark, ominous instrumentation alongside Newman’s thundering choral vocals describing a boy’s strange fixation for drinking cola. Also including a lovely flute sample towards the end of the song from their track ‘3WW’ found on their third album. Following this comes the pre-released single ‘U&ME’ which features the familiar bluesy verses found on their older works which could be argued to sound monotonous after a while however this is contrasted with a catchy chorus that would make it very difficult to forget the name of the song but avoids the same monotony one might expect. Following on with the moody tone of the album created by ‘Bane’, ‘U&ME’ continues this rhetoric whilst juxtaposing its sound with Newman’s lyrics about a fun summer holiday which works well for the overall theme of the album.

Other standout tracks include the aptly named ‘Hard Drive Gold’ detailing how a teenager is able to become a crypto millionaire in the 21st century we live in. Including adlibs from both Joe and Gus’ mums. The rise of the chorus and use of the school choir blends very well with the melodic drive found in the verses. The tracks ‘Happier When You’re Gone’ and ‘Get Better’ return to the morbid focus on death and loss with the former offering a serious, intimate look at struggle in the times of a pandemic with lyrics such as ‘I still pretend you’re only out of sight in another room’ and ‘staff smuggled in the card I meant’ gives listeners a vulnerable insight into how the pandemic affected many of us with an acoustic sound.

The second half of the album offers more interesting moments including the quirky Barbershop quarter intro on the song ‘Walk a Mile’ leading into a drawn-out bluesy record along with the dreary guitar in the latter half of ‘Losing My Mind which take the song to an abrupt but ominous ending.

Finally, the album ends with a more uplifting note in the song ‘Powders’ which offers a dreamy, laid back take on teenage romance within Newman’s vocals and a mid song talking script recorded by Thom and his partner. Overall, The Dream’’s strengths lie packing not just alt-J’s typical futuristic, eclectic edge , but a darker side remeniscing of nostalgia too which as a combo comes across fantasically and avoids the pomp and pretentiousness found in other artists work nowadays.

You can catch alt-J on the May tour of the UK and Ireland, they visit the O2 Academy in Leeds on the 9th May.