‘Fear is the mind killer, do not fear, Spread passion, like fire in the field, Spread ideas, like fire in the bush, Spread dreams, like fire in the trees’ (Ishmael)

Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Odor Eater are a duo comprising of Hayley Moore (also of Fugitive Bubble) on vocals and Logan Devlin on electronics.  Their debut album is one deeply immersed in the aesthetic of 1980s’ new wave, a decidedly contagious love letter that they then deftly enrich with a more contemporary post-punk sensibility.

The pulsing bass lines are drenched in a comforting analogue warmth.  In contrast, the synth leads glisten with an altogether icier demeanour and one that matches the skittering fusillade of bleeps and squalls that lend a futuristic sheen to this evocation of a past era.  A more leftfield dynamic is introduced by Moore’s clarinet, which is deployed to sparing yet dramatic effect, woozily haunting in striking contrast to the angular electronics (not least on the instrumental track, Tunnels).

Moore’s vocals also provide a vibrant counterpoint, marrying gothic tinged power with a playful pop sensibility that is aided and abetted by Devlin’s rather more deadpan backing.  However, this innate playfulness does not detract from the lyrical sharpness as the duo grapple with themes of genocide, democratic disenfranchisement, and the ways in which insecurity is fermented to stifle resistance.

The richness of this palette ensures an album that never lulls into repetitive patterns.  From the infectiously jagged 85 Decibels to the stridently melodic title track, and then from the jauntily understated Defunct to the dance fuelled fervency of Ishmael, Odor Eater work their way under your skin with an insidious inevitability.