Odditi Populaire – Crasher

Context

The band Crasher is, in many ways, a mutation of frontman and singer Airick Asher Woodhead's Doldrums project. Therefore, it makes sense that both the music and the singing reflect his style. However, Crasher isn't just a continuation of Woodhead's previous project, but the trio's effort to burst in with new ideas and weird elegance (more on that later). Before tackling this record, and to better appreciate it, I thought it necessary to present some of Woodhead's older material:

Doldrums is an electronic music project by Montréal-based artist Airick Asher Woodhead which began in 2013. With that out of the way, we can focus on the music itself. Across three full-lengths and two EPs, the Doldrums' sound never congealed, but the janky oscillation between synthpop and experimental electronics certainly was a recurring theme. There is a sense of fragility in the overall composition, by that I mean that not all songs are quite as memorable as "Runnerup" or "Funeral for Lightning". That being said, Woodhead's wobbling contralto voice and fun, sometimes romantic, songwriting carries the music into absolutely mystical territory. In his most recent full-length, Esc (2017), the seeds of a punk blossom were already present in songs like "SWIM", "The Stitched Together Man" and "Against the Glass". What wasn't there was the post-punk and new wave feel that permeates the Crasher release, perhaps the fruit of collective songwriting. Anyway, I encourage you to listen to some, if not all, of Doldrums' music to enhance your listening experience of "Odditi Populaire".
As I was writing this intro, I was tempted to add a dagger (†) before "Doldrums" since it seemed as though Woodhead had retired the project and certain sources were relaying this info (don't believe the hype...), but after noticing he was playing a show in Camden later this month, I decided against it. I'm glad he's still playing his solo material.

Odditi Populaire

Mysteriously starting this first full-length with a short track that veils the intensity of the next 27 minutes, the band already throws us off in terms of what we can expect. The bass line on "Silent Star (No One's War)" really drives the song and provides a solid anchoring for the drums and synths. A huge wave of nostalgia crashed over me when listening to "Dead System Man" which brought back the feeling of listenning to Daft Punk's Random Access Memories for the first time, particularly "Instant Crush". Beyond just eliciting memories, the song really creates a tiny dreamscape that hides a warning about trusting the droogs of a dying system. "Stories" is probably the most mosh-able tune on the record ; it triggers an irresistible need to dance around and fist pump or grab on to something and thrash about. Slash Need's delivery of her verse is absolutely hypnotic and such a high point on the record, crystallizing the post-punk aesthetic perfectly.

I'm tired of all the reruns I'm seeing
Even in my dreams, they're selling me stories

Where "Staring Into The Static I Saw The Shape Of You" feels like a Doldrums song, the other tracks showcase the trio at work creating their unique style. There is an outlier in the mix and that's "Yeah I've Been Walking Around with This All My Life": the smooth bass, the jazzy chords, the sweeping pads, and the whispered words make for a beautiful closing track. Odditi Populaire is, frankly, a no-skip record teeming with trippy beats. Go now! Listen to the whole thing and give them your money!

✸

Great for: Late night excursions in the cold and/or dancing in the dark
Not so great for: Scrolling mindlessly (also, don't do that, period)

Jan. 5, 2026

Replicator – Chimes of Bayonets

Prologue

I discovered Chimes of Bayonets purely by chance: digging through the 7" punk bin at Crocodisc (a record store in Paris' Latin Quarter). Crammed between the DIY covers printed on flimsy paper and the plastic sleeves, confronting the passing of time, three singles stood out. The first was a split from 1988 between two French bands: Les Chiens Vivants and Manchacou. The stronger of the two tracks, "Tu te décomposes" or "You are decomposing" for the non-French speakers out there, brings some garage rock seemingly recorded in a cavern somewhere, featuring the banjo in a doomy waltz that measures our transitory existence to the vast universe of dreams. The lead singer and banjo player has a YouTube channel where he has uploaded most of his music => Jean-Marie Pons.
Second 7" was "More or Less" by the emo/punk/hardcore band Sleeper (now Serpico). Great energy from these New Yorkers who were active from 1991 to 1996 (circa I guess). Go listen to the Serpico album "feel bad rainbow" absolutely fantastic headbanging treat.
Alright, so third 7" was "Archiver" by Chimes of Bayonets, another band out of New York. The record has an actual cardboard sleeve, complete with a fun little bike wheel design on the label area and cheeky comments etched in the dead wax. The noisiest and most dissonant of the three, it's also the most diverse, forward-thinking and brainy of the lot I picked out. That being said, it's probably due to the fact it was recorded in 2019...
The band is very much active and after finding their bandcamp page and going through their discography, I was absolutely smitten with their debut LP "Replicator".

Replicator

I went back the following week to Crocodisc and chatted with one of the guys behind the desk who shared his flashback about when one of the band members from Chimes of Bayonets came through Paris and sold him the 7" and the 12" which have now come into my possession. We chuckled and I headed home.
Enough about the backstory! "Replicator" is just Chimes of Bayonets doing their unique blend of saxophone and chorus-rich post-punk. The production is a lot less noisy and crusty on this record, the songwriting feels very focused, and the chemistry is clearly there. The bass is such a highlight of this record; shapeshifting from a fucking brick wall to some slithering entity to a groovy accompagnement. Super heavy riffing on "Human Mascot". The sense of urgency is real, and the drums are on point. The guitar and saxophone coalesce seamlessly, and halfway through the song the three take an interesting turn into shoegazing territory before heading into the more brutal finale. The songs flow nicely from one to the next, and I can easily go through the whole thing twice without it ever getting tedious. I'll leave y'all with the refrain from The Fall of Grammer [probably an intentional misspelling].

Work out the math
how does this track ?
Pulling the shades back
reveals a fatal crack

✸

Great for: Chopping veggies, other manual activities
Not so great for: Relaxing in the tub

Dec. 14, 2025

Be My Vengence – CHEW!

Destiny Bond, a hardcore band out of Denver, caught my attention on a recent crawl through Bandcamp. I’ve been getting back into punk recently and as I was perusing through Convulse Records’ releases, I zeroed in on the flair of a cartoony tattoo of a cover. I gave the record a listen, then a couple more over the week, and now I find myself coming back to it regularly. Its solid songwriting, sarcastic bite and production quality really makes it one of my favorite Monday morning jams to mouth as I air drum on my way to work.

Oh you’ve got another opinion
The perfect one size fits all
Without you how would the problems get solved?

The shakers, tambourines, and the bright guitar tones contrast well with the nasty, chunky bass, adding a little 60’s charm to the beat. Speaking of the beat, caffeinated isn’t quite enough, d-beat infused cold brew sounds about right.
There’s something so tragic about Chloe’s performance on “Mosaic” and “Head Spin”. Wails of a determined Sisyphus coping with the pointlessness of existence blasts out of her lungs, but the lyrics assert the opposite: wise and reflective affirmations on the present self as worthy in its own right.

✸

Great for: The commute to work when you need a little wave of positivity to surf on
Not so great for: Thanksgiving dinner with a TERF

Check out Karim Newble's neat art => Kariminal

Dec. 13, 2025