It’s been over three years since we’ve had any new material from Klaxons, a relatively long time to wait for a sophomore album from a highly popular young band. The trio seem desparate to make up for this wait by throwing everything including the kitchen sink at the listener in their comeback track “Flashover”.
The track begins with a galloping drum fill before the inevitable punch comes, and it comes a lot heavier than expected; with a hefty crunch from the guitar and bass as they launch into the song. The monstrous guitar riffs cut out in order for singer Jamie Reynolds to be audible during the verses which concern random sightings of aliens and other paranormal behaviour. The guitar which has been wailing in the background comes roaring back in again as the chorus comes around and Reynolds voice strains to be heard over the drone, not that he’s saying anything of much sense anyway. Klaxons make several uses of the old trick of removing the colossal guitar from the mix only for it to come crashing back in again seemingly having not lost any of the impact it previously brought. The psychedelic aspects that both endeared and villainised the band on their first album are in full force here, including a squelching, glitchy breakdown towards the conclusion of the song that is followed up by a random short piano interlude with Reynolds singing “dimensions of time have come undone, now we have become so un-alone.”
It’s a pretty balls-to-the-wall effort from the band here, and an interesting one considering the majority of their audience are people who heard their more accessible singles on the dancefloors at an indie rave or disco, an area that “Flashover” will not incorporate so easily into. This song is one that will certainly divide listeners up into two groups; those who condemn it as a total mess of ideas and noises and those who are willing to let go of their pretentions and take a ride on one of the most bizarre audio trips one’s likely to have for a while. As for me, count me in the latter group, it may not leave a permanent impression but it’s certainly one hell of a thrill ride while it lasts.
