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SPECIAL INTEREST

Special Interest

Endure

    On every level, Special Interest is uncompromising: in their adventurous sound, their high-energy live performances, and their convictions. Dance music and punk culture have flirted in the warehouse before, but Special Interest’s desire to dismantle genre is informed by a larger abolitionist worldview that resists constraint, category, and conformity. Their music is a soundtrack to dancing the pain away as much as raging against the machine.

    Special Interest describes the experience of recording Endure as “inverted,” since the pandemic obviously stunted the possibilities of live performance, resulting in a new period of experimentation and sonic exploration in which old rules were cast out. Everything the group writes springs from the same source — a hard-hitting drum machine beat — but the possibilities are endless and the outcome always unpredictable. Ruth Mascelli’s work on drum machines and synthesizers provides a foundation, as varying beats lead the group into different directions: rave-ready drum and bass or ballroom-like house on the more dancefloor-friendly cuts, and marching kicks on No Wave-inflected tracks like “Foul”. “Cherry Blue Intention” brings together a sturdy post-punk bassline, shrieking guitar effects, and a jungle breakbeat into a driving anthem of an opening track.

    The new songs recall the art rock of Sparks and The B-52s as much as politically-minded punk, and on “Midnight Legend,” the group is more overtly pop than ever before — making something fun during a time of frequent sadness became a central priority. But that doesn’t mean anything is simple or surface-level, with a darkness often treading beneath the smooth production. For as much as the band plays with dissonance, Maria Elena’s expressive guitar work and Nathan Cassiani’s grooving bass lines effortlessly weave together, and shade out the soundscape brought into existence by Alli Logout’s commanding vocal presence. Collaboration is central to the band’s creative process, and it’s difficult to imagine even one element from the whole of Special Interest subtracted from the equation. Their songs are living organisms, open to the possibility of experimentation and interpretation, but also not the property or creation of any one person.

    TRACK LISTING

    Cherry Blue Intention
    (Herman’s) House
    Foul
    Midnight Legend
    Love Scene
    Kurdish Radio
    My Displeasure
    Impulse Control
    Concerning Peace
    Interlude
    LA Blues

    Special Interest

    (Herman's) House

      “(Herman’s) House” is centered around the story of Herman Wallace, one of the Angola Three - three Black revolutionaries who were held for decades in solitary confinement while imprisoned at Louisiana State Penitentiary. Two of them, Wallace and Albert Woodfox, were held for over 40 years in solitary confinement. During Wallace’s imprisonment, he became close with an artist, Jackie Sumell, and the two collaborated to create Wallace’s dream house, taking four years and hundreds of letters to design it.

      Inspired by the Angola Three’s refusal to give up and their ability to continue to dream in darkness, Special Interest vocalist Alli Logout and guitarist Maria Elena say, “Despite the sadistic torture they endured, they continued their fight towards Black liberation behind the prison walls. This song bears witness to our wonder and desire to dismantle the oppressive systems that hinder our possibilities towards true liberation, to annihilate, to destroy and to rebuild with one another. It’s a battle cry for dreamers who persist in spite of and because. This song moves us and it grooves us towards this end, may we go forward but not by ourselves.”

      The b-side features a cover of Amanda Lear’s “Follow Me”. The artwork for the single is inspired by the original Rough Trade 7”s design such as the classic Augustus Pablo single ‘Pablo Meets Mr Bassie’ from 1978. It will also be priced in-line with the cost of records in that era, at just 85p!

      Special Interest is a four piece punk band emerging from New Orleans, Louisiana. Combining elements of No-Wave, Glam and Industrial, they create a frenetic and urgent revisioning of punk and electronic music for a modern world gone mad. Propulsive analogue drum machines, a swirling layer of detuned samples, and driving bass lines create the foundation across which angular guitar work and dissonant synth lines glide. Front and center are Alli Logout's (they/them) commanding vocals and razor sharp lyrics moving from high camp satire to insightful political imperatives, often within the course of one song. Special Interest initially formed in 2015 to play one show in a basement. Originally, they were a two piece with Alli Logout and Maria Elena (she/her) playing guitars and power tools over the beat of a 70s Univox drum machine. Soon after they ditched the power tools and were joined by Ruth Mascelli (he/him) on electronics and Nathan Cassiani (he/him) on bass. The band quickly gained a reputation for their intense and energetic live shows - a dense wall of sound oscillating from aggressive and noisy to joyous and danceable, punctuated by the no holds barred on stage persona of their vocalist.

      STAFF COMMENTS

      Laura says: Possibly the most infectious tune of the moment from New Orleans four piece Special Interest. "(Herman's) House" is a collision of glam, disco, no-wave and everything in between creating a near perfect electro-punk banger. Oh and did I mention it's super limited, so don't snooze!

      Special Interest

      Trust No Wave

        A reissue of the 2016 demo tape by the New Orleans band who combine elements of no wave, glam and industrial music. First time vinyl pressing with bonus track, new sleeve designed by Studio Tape Echo and 8 page risographed zine insert.

        Four of the tracks here are raw early versions of songs that would appear in slightly more refined form on their debut album, 2018’s Spiralling. The other four pieces are unique to this release, including a cover version of Italian new wave band Chrisma, raging opener “Disease”, the over-saturated shoegaze-punk of “ATC” and comedown lament “I’ll Never Do Ketamine Again”. The band’s second album The Passion Of (2020) was widely acclaimed and appeared in many album of the year lists. It was recently followed by a companion album of remixes on Boy Harsher’s Nude Club label, with all profits going to NOLA charity House Of Tulip.

        “A blistering vision of punk as possibility.” - Pitchfork

        “Members Alli Logout (vocals), Ruth Mascelli (synth and drum machine), Maria Elena (guitar), and Nathan Cassiani (bass), together manage to make their instruments and vocals sound like a fight for our existence.” - The Quietus

        TRACK LISTING


        A1. Disease (2016 Demo)
        A2. DISCO (2016 Demo)
        A3. (Fluid) Bound 2 (2016 Demo)
        A4. ATC (2016 Demo)
        B1. Art Walk (2016 Demo)
        B2. Service (2016 Demo)
        B3. Black Silk Stalking (2016 Demo)
        B4. I’ll Never Do Ketamine Again (2016 Demo)


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