Popstranger’s album title Antipodes comes from a geographical term used to indicate the areas of Australia and New Zealand, and which also denotes the opposite of something. The title is fitting, since noise-fuzz trio both hails from New Zealand and sports a stranger style of post-punk/shoegaze indie that seems like it was created in a universe of opposites. As a full-length debut album, Antipodes is nothing revolutionary, but its tracks explore some interesting sonic territory, making it well worth a listen for those who enjoy experimental-leaning indie rock.
The openers “Jane” and “In Some Ways” are tracks rooted in bass-heavy punk grooves, but which find strange bedfellows in shoegaze and indie rock as they sort through surges of distortion, whiny riffs, reverbed percussion, queasy strums, weird popping bells and oddly delicate vocals. “Witches Hand” is more conventional and compelling rock featuring a wicked guitar interlude and a fake-out ending. The experimentation goes further in “What Else Could They Do” and “Full Fat,” tracks which delve into a hazy grind of noise-rock that is full of stressful, steely sounds. Milder, slower rock wins out in “Roy Brown” and “Occasion”, though both are sometimes pulled into fast-flowing rivers of distortion.
The true gem to eclipse the others is “Heaven,” which is the shortest and poppiest of the tunes. Here fragile, yearning vocal verses are well-matched with a punk rhythm. When the song spins into a melodic, beautiful and echoey pop chorus, the sound becomes almost surreal in its enveloping euphoria. The band members have stated that this album is mostly about feeling trapped in New Zealand and the desire for change—and this track with its subdued anguish juxtaposed against uplifting hopes is the most clearly crystallized form of that intention. Here’s to hoping that all of this band’s unique styles and sounds bring them the change they wish for.
