I've noticed a recent pattern of people I had a formative youth music experience with 10-15 years ago somewhat slipping out of the music-underground micro-limelight, re-assembling their tools and re-emerging at a new creative peak.
Music that can't succinctly be positioned as a contemporary sound, or part of some groundbreaking movement, but makes a particularly illuminating statement about *gestures vaguely at everything*. Examples include Fabulous Diamonds, Suburban Cracked Collective, The Lavender Flu and this album by Voice Imitator.
Voice Imitator features past or present members of True Radical Miracle, Zond, Bunyip Moon, Leather Towel and Exhaustion. A "rock" band that's members could probably all tolerate Les Rallizes Denudes, Pan Sonic, The Stooges and Godflesh on the minivan CD player if covid, domestic duties and day jobs ever allow them to tour.
On 'Plaza' members of Voice Imitator's collective youth-music experiences (punk, industrial, noise etc) are explored via a refined minimalism. It's a record for fans of Negative Approach and Robert Ashley.
No songs about the threat of nuclear annihilation, Voice Imitator illustrate the contemporary void of 'nothing feels possible/forgot to cancel HelloFresh before the discount period ended'. Remarkable music.
- Nic