Album Review: Mush – '3D Routine'

The best guitar-based debut of the new decade?

Following the release of some superb singles (including ‘Eat the Etiquette’, ‘Revising My Fee’) Mush have delivered one of the finest art/post-punk records in recent years. 3D Routine is for anyone who loves guitar music and the post-punk explosion of the last few years. The album is an instant classic and will bring new fans to the genre.

Mush are “blurring the lines between abstract surrealism, existentialism and social commentary” and their debut LP represents this perfectly. The music is out of this world – the guitars sound like UFOs when they don’t sound like machines. But when they take on a human quality, the guitar riffs come with enough drive to punch you in the face, sonically, of course (‘Island Mentality’). The vocals sound like an alien imitating a human voice with a bizarre accuracy. This is very much a style-over-ability kind of approach and it’s simply hypnotic.

Whilst there is a lot of weirdness and experimentation, Mush’s still music still grooves with danceable rhythms (‘Coronation Chicken’). There are hooks too, but not ones that you sing along to, more like an irritating ear worm. But that’s what draws you in and you will not be able to stop listening. 

Words by Matthew Brocklehurst

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Forthcoming tour dates:
06 Feb – UK Wakefield, Establishment Music Hall
18 Feb – UK Nottingham, Rough Trade
19 Feb – UK Bristol, Rough Trade
20 Feb – UK London, Rough Trade East
07 Mar – UK Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
07 Apr – FR Paris, Supersonic
08 Apr – FR Lyon, Le Sonic
10 Apr – FR Lille, Pzzle Festival @ Le Grand Mix
12 Apr – UK Ramsgate, Ramsgate Music Hall
13 Apr – UK Brighton, The Prince Albert
14 Apr – UK London, Sebright Arms
15 Apr – UK Bristol, The Lanes
16 Apr – UK Manchester, YES
17 Apr – UK Sheffield, Picture House Social
18 Apr – UK Newcastle, The Cumberland Arms
25 Apr – UK Reading, Are You Listening? Festival