Another slice of the C26 underground. pushbike take the sonic blueprints of Teenage Fanclub and Boyracer and emerge with bouncing melodies and guitar jangle that is fast becoming the defining sound of a new generation. Then they throw in just enough American alt-rock abrasion to drag the whole thing somewhere else entirely.
Pure Hate starts with a cascade of feedback and distortion like it’s 1989 all over again, before the melodies begin to bounce and swirl beneath an ever-growing wall of noise. The lyrics rumble underneath the perfectly discordant pop, fighting for breathing space amid the crashing riffs and sonic howl.
Then everything starts to come apart.
“Thank god for hate…” is pounded into your senses through repetition as the beat gives way and the whole thing accelerates towards oblivion. By the end, the song has descended into a Pixies-like primal scream before everything comes to a sudden, shuddering halt.
B-side Captain On The Bridge – remember b-sides? – treads a more distinctly jangle-pop path than its partner in crime, owing a closer sonic allegiance to fellow scene setters Bramwell, with whom pushbike share a couple of members. It bounces along with the giddy urgency of something that knows hanging around would only spoil the effect. Less than ninety seconds is all you get.
It’s all you need.
These ripples are growing into waves.
Give the young enough empty space and eventually somebody will plug in an amplifier.
Pure Hate is available now on streaming platforms. pushbike release their upcoming EP Little Bastard next month with a 10″ vinyl version arriving shortly after that. They will be playing dates in Brighton, London, Manchester and Rotterdam during October.
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