Germ Lattice - Gipping Through the Ages LP

Has the Horn Of Plenty label boldly waltzed into Brisbane/Blue Mountains Bong Rock territory? Germ Lattice certainly has a Breakdance The Dawn aroma. There’s even a Michael Donnelly involved, but it’s not the 6majik9 fella, as this trio is actually from bleedin’ Norwich!

Simple drums, bass and synthesizer ditties with an art school neanderthal flavour. Apparently there’s a no improvisation or overdubs clause in the Germ Lattice artist agreement, which makes it even more remarkable how weird every aspect sounds.

‘Gipping Through the Ages’ feels like a strangely-to-the-point document of the “anti-band” band. A concise distillation of acts that usually exist as live performances in unpunctual and chaotic warehouse,basement and sympathetic gallery environments.

While they definitely fit in the post-Mosquitos and Shadow Ring deconstructed band ecosystem, I’m more inclined to think of groups that might be thrown a bone by Load Records, No Fun Fest, Little Big Chief, Bulb etc. I guess I’ll probably never know what’s mindful production know-how, and what’s pure bong rock magic. - Nic