FRANKIE & Battle-ax

FRANKIE [Franziska Aigner] and Battle-ax [Beatrix Curran] announce ANGELWHACK, their first collaborative EP to be released on SUPERPANG.

In an effort to write about the four songs of this EP, I’ve listened to it now several times. While such an exercise might normally leave me bored of the material, in this case each repeated listen finds me in greater friction between seduced and exasperated. It is a rare listen when two skilled collaborators bring not only virtuosity, but an expressive complexity that cannot possibly be ascertained upon the first hearing. Tight fits of battling viola and cello strings, brooding dissonances, and palpable shades of melancholy stand out at first. Occasional digital distortions shoot down the organic tones of their instruments, but never detracts from the decisive, delicate touch of skilled players. Such darkness wouldn’t be surprising knowing their work, and would still be a notable effort if it were only that, but what truly gives this EP its power is the contrast of light and dark, of chiaroscuro. Throughout ANGELWHACK are punctuated moments of near ecstasy, beautiful tones and harmonies which break through the gray mist as gently as they do fiercely like sun through a storm. Upon close listen, it’s nearly impossible to imagine getting through this EP without breaking at least a little sweat. – Reece Cox