This is one of the MANY times we get super excited for a new release, get an early copy of said new release, then squander the lead time for said new release until it’s (almost) too late. That’s not to say we’re not listening to said release incessantly, just more for leisure versus “work”. Which is actually quite helpful because then the words tend to flow a little more freely. Which we also find to be the case whenever talking about Replicant. That said: Procrastination x A band we already dig a lot= Easy peasy reviewin’!
It also helps that DAYBREAKER might be the Chicago maestros of Neo-Noir ElectroSynth’s best yet! It’s true! Everything about Replicant’s 3rd full-length just moves and, for a band that’s built from synthetic atmospheres, the end result for DAYBREAKER is one that’s decidedly organic with a living, breathing heartbeat practically pulsating over the course of the 10 new tracks fans will find here.
“THE EXIT” is a fine start, beginning with Garrett Vernon, Justin DeLay, and Jordan DeLay’s signature synths creating a slow ominous yet epic build before Vernon’s unmistakable voice enters the fray and brings a powerful presence to match the iridescent instrumental tones. “HELLBOUND” and “HEAVENSENT” initially dropped back in 2023 but still sound as fresh as the moment they first arrived as the former escalates the new album anticipation with beats thumping at a steady pace whilst Electro-fueled melodies swirl around and then the latter is like a mixture of Airwolf and Street Hawk and all our other favorite ’80’s TV themes for shows featuring some souped up tactical assault vehicle as a secondary protagonist.
“PLEASURE/PAIN” moves into a more New Wave/Neo-Noir realm complete with complementary guitar lines straight outta the ’80’s (You can practically picture Crockett and Tubbs racing through a typical Miami Vice night thanks to the vivid picture Replicant paint here) while “HERETIC” is another that’s driven by pumping programmed beats and Vernon’s piercing pipes. “ECHOIC MEMORY” is almost a sonic palette cleanser offering an instrumental interlude before the arrival of “VOIDS” which hearkens back to classic Replicant tracks like “Black Light” or “A Taste of Midnight” with the way the synth sounds interplay, interconnect, and interact.
“FEED” starts the beginning of the end of DAYBREAKER with a bleak atmosphere that gets brighter as the song progresses while “BLOODSHOT” is easily one of the coolest sounding Replicant anthems to date taking little bits of their aural history from 2014’s Bloodmoon on through to the Regression and Annihilation EP’s of 2020 and infusing it all into this penultimate jam. Then the title track descends and brings with it not only the end of the LP but an instrumental comedown that’s filled with soaring guitar lines, a bumping bass melody and these familiar synthetic thematic elements that act as the connective thread weaving across all and linking Replicant music past, present and future together.
DAYBREAKER drops on June 13th and you can get yer pre-order on now by heading here or to the stream below. For more from Replicant, including upcoming live appearances and more, follow the trail of socials across the interwebs when you click here, here, or here.