Listen to GRIFTHORSE's Debut Album 'FACSIMILE'

It's go time for Ōtautahi Christchurch collective GRIFTHORSE, whose debut album FACSIMILE galloped into the world late last week, just ahead of this Friday's GRIFTFEST launch party spectacular at The Loons in Ōhinehou Lyttelton. A nine track statement of intent from "equine scammers" Hayden Slaughter, Sam Williams, Isaac Mcfarlane (host of music industry podcast Mt. Noise), Rutene Rickard and Ben Sinclair, FACSIMILE raises the portcullis to greet listeners with a generosity of post-punk / post-rock strategies, sometimes within the very same song.

Five substantial tracks essentially make up the meat of FACSIMILE, interspersed with shorter / looser passages providing bonus texture and flow. Vibe-shifting from a pleasing new agey intro, '## SHUDDER // LAPSE ##' explodes with spiky guitars and cyber-rock oomph, oscillating between ice cold (vocodered?) vox and red hot yowls, then segueing again into the Strokes-adjacent art-rock of 'QUASI' — surely a nod to fellow Cantabrian Ronnie van Hout's iconic public sculpture.

Later on, 'APRIL RAIN' carves out a space between anthemic punk and heavy noisenik scorch, while the nearly nine minute closing title track is a multi-movement suite in itself. '## FACSIMILE ##' initially recalls the balladic proggy ambition of Yorke and co., then swerves into sleek new wave and gripping southern squall, as FACSIMILE lurches like a flaming heap past the finish line.

GRIFTHORSE have assembled a mighty lineup of special guests for GRIFTFEST, plus they're playing with Cruelly and U-No Juno the next evening in Port Chalmers. Out now exclusively on Bandcamp, crank up FACSIMILE and support the team this weekend...

GRIFTFEST
featuring CRUELLY (WGTN), Space Bats, Attack! (DUN), S.E.I.S.M.I.C, The Perfect Gun, GRIFTHORSE
Friday 16th October - Loons, Lyttelton
Tickets on sale HERE via UTR

GRIFTFEST PRESENTS:
Cruelly with GRIFTHORSE & U-No Juno
Saturday 17th October - Pioneer Hall, Port Chalmers
Tickets on sale HERE via UTR