Chemtrails – ‘The Joy of Sects’ album review: danceable garage-rock pop

Name: Chemtrails - The Joy of Sects
Rating: 3

Aimee Ferrier

Thu 18 January 2024 12:12, UK

Chemtrails - 'The Joy of Sects'

THE SKINNY: Punk has famously been dominated by majority male musicians, but Chemtrails are challenging that notion with their fun, pop-infused approach to the genre. Pulling sounds from an array of influences, with The Joy of Sects, the Manchester-based band have crafted a largely enjoyable listening experience that demands us to dance.

With eccentric vocal performances and melodies echoing the sounds of new wave bands like B-52s, Chemtrails offer up a collection of energetic songs that feel refreshing in comparison to the mass of generic post-punk currently emerging from the country. Over the course of 11 tracks, Chemtrails present their own spins on genres like garage rock, new wave pop and surf rock. Blending these sounds, the album mainly feels joyous, even when the band are delving into some less optimistic topics, such as the dawn of the apocalypse.

At times, the band allow for more offbeat melodies and instrumentation, which ensures that the listener stays on their toes, although these moments definitely have a Marmite effect. If you’re not keen on the almost-animated vocals that define many tracks, then you might struggle to truly dive straight into the record.

There is rarely a dull moment on the album, although you can’t help but feel like some of Chemtrail’s influences shine through a little too strongly. Still, helped by the recognisable vocals of Mia Lust and Laura Orlova, for the most part, the band retain a distinctive sense of identity.

For Fans Of: Going to a disco at the bottom of the ocean surrounded by friendly sea creatures who boogie with you as flashing neon lighting illuminates the dancefloor.

A concluding comment from Tom’s mother: “A groovy bunch that pepped me up like my morning Berocca, right down to the moments where it tastes a little bitter and seems a bit too much.”

The Joy of Sects track-by-track:

‘Detritus Andronicus’ – This track will help you decide whether or not you’re going to like the album. Featuring repetitive high-pitched vocals circling over the lines “You know I’m never gonna…” Chemtrails introduce us to their punchy sound, which walks a fine line between playful and fun and slightly irritating. [3/5]

‘Bang Bang’ – The instrumentals of this song sound so much like a faster version of Fat White Family’s ‘I Am Mark E. Smith’ that I almost expected to hear the lines, “Shane McGowan’s tying my shoes…” when the vocals kicked in. It’s still a catchy track, though. [3/5]

‘Business Class War Paint’ – Chemtrails ensure that we’re all dancing with ‘Business Class War Paint’. With its summery bassline and energetic guitar parts, it evokes the image of a cheap ‘90s music video with bad green screens and strange animations (that’s a compliment). [3.5/5]

‘Sycophant’s Paradise’ – Opening with an assertive bassline that demands we stay alert, the song feels like a chaotic cosmic journey due to its cinematic, spacey keys. Yet, at the same time, it’s hard to ignore the beachy tone created by surf rock guitars. A contradicting concoction of fun – ‘Sycophant’s Paradise’ is a standout. [4/5]

‘Mushroom Cloud’ – When this song first starts, it temporarily feels like we’ve been whisked out of The Joy of Sects and placed inside a moody 1990s or 2000s indie track. With the band’s offbeat vocals, the song becomes an interesting clash of genres that works very well. [3.5/5]

‘Join Our Death Cult’ – Chemtrails do their best to convince us to join their death cult through poppy melodies. It is tempting, but there are other songs on the album that would do a better job of enticing recruits. [3/5]

‘Pink Whale’ – This song follows a similar vocal melody to the previous track, leaving little to be desired. While it’s a little fun, ‘Pink Whale’ is a more forgettable number. [2.5/5]

‘Superhuman Superhighway’ – Now, this track pulls you straight in, practically throttling you with its ferocious guitars. Clearly inspired by Thee Oh Sees, despite being really quite good, the track leaves you questioning what counts as homage and what counts as imitation. [3.5/5]

‘Apocalypstick’ – The jittery bassline that defines ‘Apocalypstick’ sounds like the sonic equivalent of a finger-wagging. With name drops to pop cultural figures like James Dean and JFK, the song is lyrically interesting, but instrumentally, it feels a little derivative. [2.5/5]

‘(Post – Apocalypstick)’ – If you were quite the fan of ‘Apocalypstick’, then fear not, the band provide us with an instrumental continuation of the song that is far superior, allowing more surf rock guitars to shine. In simple terms: it’s really very good. [4/5]

‘Endless Stream of the Bizarre’ – Surreal and tense, ‘Endless Stream of Bizarre’ allows Liam Steers to show off his drumming skills with impressive ease. Yet, the song feels like it should build to something bigger than it does. Instead, it peters out into nothing. It is a somewhat disappointing, mediocre end. [3/5]