Bristol’s Mutant Thoughts have been quietly building something interesting. Self-produced and self-recorded, the band is led by Colombian-born composer Han Luis Cera and bassist Josh Lennox-Hilton, and their reference points – Depeche Mode, Radiohead, Battles, Talking Heads – tell you a lot about where their heads are at. They’ve worked with Grammy-winning producer Sylvia Massy and played ArcTanGent and Dot-to-Dot, so they’re not exactly newcomers to the circuit. “Inner Prison” came out February 6th as the first single from their debut album “Makeshift_DNA,” and it’s a song about the gaps in human communication – the distance between people even when they’re right next to each other.
Sonically, this is very fresh, especially in the groove department. It’s a groove unlike anything else, and it’s clear from this song that Mutant Thoughts have their own unique musical identity and a utilization of sound design that is entirely their own. The drums are restless yet don’t feel sporadic; it’s the kind of methodical chaos that works beautifully with the offbeat chord stabs on those odd analog synth sounds. Though the actual execution is quite unique, there is a traditional song structure underneath all the sonic craziness.
With “Makeshift_DNA” on the way, “Inner Prison” is a strong opening statement. Noizze UK called Mutant Thoughts one of those rare acts with the drive and integrity to become a crucial staple of the experimental scene. Based on this, that’s not far off.
