Feral, devolved and running on instinct, the six songs on Sulfate’s third album ‘And It Wants’ grapple between David Harris unleashing on his drum kit, Zac Arnold conjuring fuzz and feedback and Peter Ruddell’s taut, wiry guitar-work and commanding baritone. Written and recorded in New Lynn’s industrial area, this new batch of songs were created on a diet of Cormac McCarthy novels, Adam Curtis documentaries and the madness of gothic horror. Since recording, Sulfate's line up has expanded once more, introducing multi-instrumentalist Louisa Nicklin to the band's inexorable live performances.
Sonically, Sulfate set out some parameters at the outset of the album recordings - and it was important for things to sound real. The band wanted real instruments to be played, and, importantly, sound like they’re being played, by real, living people. This was a conscious reaction to the modern, online, perfect-existence, social media-ness of it all. Audio engineer Emily Wheatcroft-Snape was recommended to the band because of her ability to capture sounds with accuracy and precision - and she encapsulated the live band just as they had hoped.
Thematically, ‘And It Wants’ sees Ruddell clinging to optimism and joy while being subject to the existential nihilism of our current hypernormal, western reality. “Death is all through this record. The songs were born out of the feeling that there are no rules, that nothing matters, and that we all die. That we dance around the fact that death comes for us all, but we never really, truly, acknowledge it - it’s just too big or too heavy to have any kind of impact on our day to day existence. The intent is to provide a sonic backdrop to dance ecstatically, liberated, as the world around you burns. Find comfort and joy in things while you can, even as the end draws near and darkness begins to ruminate.”
‘And It Wants’ is out digitally, and on two exclusive vinyl variants via Flying Nun Records and Holiday Records on October 23rd.
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