Ice Baths/Ice Baths (Blank Editions)
Following their impressive 2016 digital-only single “Ubix/Keener” on Edils Records, the South London 4-piece Ice Baths unveil their debut album – released through Stoke Newington’s Blank Editions.
Thomas Cleall and Alex Ives are the two ever-presents in Ice Baths, sharing vocal duties. The album features Daniel Philpott and Daniel Moseley – but since the record’s completion both have left the band to be replaced by Jack David and Ed Shellard (the latter also in Blank Editions label mates Aathens).
The album’s half hour length emphasises its conciseness and intensity, but still leaves room for the odd eyebrow raising surprise. Traditionally, the opening track of any album is geared to set the stall out – to declare the gateway available to what lies ahead. “Freighter” however leaves the listener wondering if Ice Baths have elected to ensconce themselves in the world of improvisation – disembodied, frozen vocals fronting a musical landscape collapsing in on itself. Expectations are further confused by “Island Of Dogs” – a forty-seven second instrumental as regimented as its predecessor is loose – spiky trebly guitars and a frenetic motorik pulse - making its point and disappearing before you have a chance to respond.
It’s only when “Circuits” enters the fray that you realise Ice Baths have been brave/naïve/daft/savvy (delete as appropriate – or not) to instil a couple of curveballs at the beginning of the album – testing the listener and keeping all options open. “Circuits” combines the almost cold wave vocal on “Freighter” to the straining at the leash assault of “Island Of Dogs” – and it’s this fusion which underpins most of the album.
“Naked Reflection” recounts the tale of “an unintellectual man in an old single bed trying to think himself outside of his own head”. The band have said that they prefer the listeners to draw their own conclusions in their lyrics. Indeed.
I can’t be sure whether there is a subject in the lyrics that combines “New Strappings Pt 1” and “New Strappings Pt 2”, but certainly the music is not linked between the two. “Pt 2” is a steadier paced offering after the stark, tense, bare bones angst of most of Side 1, and leaves us with a breather of sorts for the second half.
“Replacer” gives us a false state of complacency by returning to the style we have been getting accustomed to in “Ice Baths”, but that is soon discarded with “Charnel House”. Wikipedia informs thick old me that a charnel house is a vault where human skeletal remains are stored – yet can also be a general term for a place filled with death and destruction. The track is just over two minutes of electronic drone caked in sound not dissimilar to tape hiss. Amongst others, Swell Maps have been quoted as an informed comparison when discussing Ice Baths. For me, this is especially valid with “Charnel House” and the aforementioned “Freighter” and “Island Of Dogs” where the band are bold enough to upset the applecart and experiment with styles way outside their own comfort zone.
“Relic” is elegantly post-punk moody and distant – and characteristically by now – does not prepare us fully for the final track “Inhabitant” – jagged time signatures coupled with the ranting anger of the protagonist incensed at someone immersing themselves in new cultures in order to improve their social standing. Well, that’s how I saw it anyway.
An album that intrigues, tests and coaxes with each listen. An album that never lets the listeners rest on their laurels. More please.
Lee McFadden 17/3/18
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