Neu Mix #20: Totem

London trio Totem’s sound isn’t for the faint-hearted. Every motion of attention-grabbing baritone and eye-gouging guitar interchange leaves the average joe for dead. Rhythmic, dynamic debut single ‘See-Saw Girl’ is a perfect to and fro of sharply executed excellence, and it’s coming out on Moshi Moshi Singles Club.

Immediate comparisons come to mind - Wire, Pavement, even fellow new faces Parquet Courts and Crushed Beaks - but hidden beneath the surface is something a little more diverse than just a barrage of sharp-witted bursts of energy. The band’s exclusive mix for DIY Weekly circuits decades previous, pays friendly visits to Steve Reich and Cocteau Twins, before throwing in a Happy Mondays-shaped curveball. Never judge a book by its cover, even if Totem’s frontpage is one of the most inviting in yonks.

‘See-Saw Girl’ is out now. Totem play London’s Total Refreshment Centre on 26th September.

Tracklist:
Steve Reich - Different Trains (Part 1)
Television Personalities - 14th Floor
Cheap Trick- I Don’t Love Here Anymore
Slim Smith & The Uniques - This Feeling
The Cramps - Can’t Hardly Stand It
ESG - Purely Physical
Cocteau Twins - Iceblink Luck
Scientist - Lovers
Sunman Knockout - Unexpected Item
Happy Mondays - Olive Oil

DIY Neu Mix #20 - Totem by Diy on Mixcloud