Alien Chicks - Forbidden Fruit

“I don’t feel represented, but I still lust,” spit post-punk trio Alien Chicks on ‘Babe’ - a track cemented by a weighty rap verse and a sense of unease, delivered for a generation constantly stimulated by boredom, disconnection and self-diagnosis. On ‘Forbidden Fruit’, the band turn the mundane inside out, inspecting the stitching and - as is punk custom - frequently touching base with British fragility and social commentary.

On ‘Mr Muscle’, odd time signatures blur the lines between verse and chorus, and the transitions come so fast you barely notice them, driven by a colossal, cathartic scream. ‘Go Fish’ is similarly ferocious, a juggernaut closer, playing with rhythmic displacement and syncopation before a stuttering, animated breakdown finishes things off. ‘I’ve Become A Palm Tree’ has plenty of bold brass tones, matching the song’s strut, while stripped back slapstick interlude ‘Dairylea’ is nestled between two high-energy bursts, blending dry humour with a sharp edge for an off-kilter pause (“easy peasy put the poison in the Dairylea / Anyone can kill me)”. Though short in duration, this release is packed with style.