THE SHEER quality of each release WHITE have put into the public realm in the last year makes it hard to think of a recent debut EP that has come surrounded by the same levels of anticipation and excitement. WHITE’S Cuts That Don’t Bleed is a long-awaited arrival for all those who have been fortunate enough to come within their vicinity, the five-piece have been so consistently good in their output that they have already managed to produce a stream of massive hits with the kind of powerful presence that many bands would struggle to muster over an entire career.
So while it may seem surprising that, given their accomplished reputation, this is their first extended release beyond the single format, Cuts That Don’t Bleed has definitely been worth the wait. We may have heard three of the four tracks before, but it is something else to hear some of their biggest and boldest recordings to date placed together in this context. Embodying everything we would hope for and more from a WHITE EP, it conveys the sounds of a band who have found their own separate lane and are well and truly blossoming in it.
Known to be heavily influenced by post-punk and the pop era that followed, the band are able to allude to the past while sounding completely original; often a difficult task but one made possible thanks to their invigorating energy and refreshing eccentricities. Funky guitars, pulverising electronic pulses and Leo Condie’s resounding vocals come together to often dramatic effect with each track adding its own distinctiveness to the melting pot of dark disco vibes.
The angular riffs of ‘Private Lives’ open the EP in piercing fashion, immediately grabbing your attention and refusing to let go. As the newest offering out of the four tracks, it is a perfect introduction with its cool dancefloor rhythms and infectious chorus. Condie’s imposing vocals make themselves known over a solid gold bassline and punctuating drums, before the track’s juddering momentum is energised by the addition of jangly Bowie-style guitars and gang-like chanting on the chorus. Eventually divulging in a whirl of instrumentation, soaring synths take over as Condie shows off his unbelievable vocal potential, allowing the song to take off in otherworldly fashion.
As if to ground us from this heady concoction, the throbbing electronic pulses of ‘Recreational TV’ make themselves known. A dark, industrial post-punk energy takes over in truly ominous fashion; its swaggering synths and dramatic hooks anchored by the stomping tempo as the lead vocals are backed by cult-like chanting. The foreboding atmosphere unleashes itself on the chorus with a rabble of vocals and a thrash of guitars.
‘Step Up’ is by far the most volatile and eccentric offering from the band though; the haunting atmospherics of the previous track developing into uninhibited aggression. Originally conceived from a rumbling bass section, rattling snares and dark proto-techno synths provide the backdrop to Condie’s manic shrieks; sounding animalistic as he clashes with the swirl of electronics.
Closing track ‘I Liked You Better When You Needed Me’ doesn’t do much in the way of providing a breather though; although it is more in line with what we’re used to hearing from the band. Heavy guitar riffs and stomping rhythms create a sinister groove before chorus harmonies transform the song into a dark disco belter that’ll have you dancing all night.
WHITE have never sounded so vital, dark, eccentric and inspired than on their debut EP Cuts That Don’t Bleed. By embracing the darker edges of their music more than ever, they have released a hulking, muscular EP that effortlessly bridges the gap between the past and present; they may wear their eighties influences on their sleeve but they do so while sounding entirely unique and relevant among their contemporaries. As one of Glasgow’s most exciting prospects, it is no surprise that they have established a position at the forefront of the city’s music scene while simultaneously developing their reputation around the rest of the UK and Europe. All we need to do now is wait on an album…