This Heat ‎– This Heat

Although I knew of THIS HEAT, I had apparently never heard them. Without reading the accompanying blurb, I spotted a leaning towards FAUST (“Krautrock” - that great-but-infuriating-intro-that-goes-nowhere track). I’m no expert, but I kept spotting a whole plethora of others who either influenced or seemed to be influenced by THIS HEAT - THE POP GROUP, early SCRITTI POLITTI, WIRE, Hell, even SUN RA’s in there somewhere.
They have a novel, and sometimes grating approach to how they mix the music, and how one track relates to another - the overall structure. On one track percussion full forward, on another, mixed so far back it hardly even adds anything to the ambience.

How can you get bored with an album it’s almost impossible to become familiar with. More than a free-form rock / anti-rock, something much, much more.

Originally reviewed for Soft Watch.

This Heat were a unique band mixing punk attitude with progressive tendencies, English whimsy with German experimentalism. This album, compiled from studio sessions and live cassettes, captures their early incandescence. 24 track loop develops the tape loop technique, Horizontal Hold is reminiscent of Robert Wyatt and Fall of Saigon is a mournful ode to the ambassadors cat, with Bullen's guitar echoing the work of Michael Karoli. In fact the influence of Can and Faust can be felt throughout,tere certainly weren't many UK bands this far out. Not for the faint hearted, This Heat were a howl of rage against society, more catharsis than showbiz. A legendary album.