HEALTH

Since I live in Los Angeles, it's incredibly refreshing to see so many successful acts coming from the city in the recent past (and I don't just mean Rooney and Maroon 5!) ... from No Age to the Mae Shi to Mika Miko ... LA has quite a lot to offer sonically. (True, most of it's pretty abbrasive, rough, and noisy, but how can one complain when it's all done so friggin' skillfully?!)

HEALTH (MySpace) has been recording and playing for a few years now, and finally they're ready to drop the debut, self-titled longplayer (due out on Lovepump United Records). The LP is phenomenal ... a genius foray into the world of noise music with a freshness and adventurousness that we all need.

Sure, the album's full of sharp and jagged edges, shredded and torn bits and pieces, harsh synths and meticulous sped drumming like oh so many noise albums, but HEALTH embraces noise in a more cautious, sophisticated manner. Instead of going balls out and wrecking havoc on every one of their precious instruments, they instead play around with BBC ribbon microphones from the 30s, explore the possibilities of instrumental dynamics between drums, synths, guitars, and other mysterious sound makers ...

The record is dissonance and eerie wailing, crys for help, pleads for mercy, jumps of joy, punches at your ears, jabs at your chest ... making it more vocal than most non-instrumental albums tend to be.

Many of you many know the song, "Crimewave," that they did with Crystal Castles ... now there are many more remixes on the way, from Curses! to Acid Girls to Pink Skull. Get pumped and keep an avid eye out for these guys (and more to come on BiBaBiDi!) ...

HEALTH - Glitter Pills
HEALTH - Heaven
Crystal Castles Vs. HEALTH - Crimewave