Whilst Feral Family are buzzing back in the studio, let’s review their debut album, Without Motion. A record that actually has its fair share of motion.
WITHOUT MOTION – FERAL FAMILY
With Without Motion, there’s no doubt that Feral Family has forged its uniqueness. The British band universe is dark, grainy and marked by exceptional vocals. In their really clean, but not deprived of textures, productions, they seem to grow bigger with each song. Harmonious, it’s a record that dares pick up kind retro sounds for its introduction, Cairo, despite its brutality. Similarly, This Side of Me is getting its energy from 2000s punk and 80s pop. It’s the perfect match to fight inner demons. Likewise, Sold has a particularly gripping theme. Questioning the link between life and work, a promised yet unreachable balance, the rage they’re capable of is storming in.
These snapshots of reality built by Feral Family are raw, almost violent. But they’re realistic. Through its classic composition, It’s All Us touches on doomed relationships. Basses are heavy, guitars are bright, and Jamie Lowe’s vocals are front-and-centre. I immediately adore its spiralling darkness and wild notes For me, it connects seamlessly with the next two tracks, more surrealist and cinematographic. If Cairo also has something belonging to the silver screen, Wee Van Bee, and its western-spaghetti inspirations, and Spice King, and its desert-bound aura and nod to Dune, are clearly stealing its spotlight.
The cries from Someday, Deep Cuts, and Fractures are as tearing as the ones on The Mercy. Here, the band proves that acidic comments received on social media can hurt as much as the end of a relationship. And they do so with a troubling atmosphere. If the heart is touched, then it’s real. And if it’s real, it can be universal. To end this sombre debut album, the trio channels its post-punk energy into Smother. Feral Family has made Without Motion an endless dance in a disenchanted universe. And, when you’re in the right mood for it, it feels fantastic.
