“Self Help’s DIY ethics and experimental approach to songwriting manifests itself into a hazy mix of psychedelia, alt.rock, post-punk and indie. This is demonstrated by the scuzzy soundscapes exhibited on I Want You All To Myself. The track opens with the dream-like, hazy vocals of singer Danny and are accented by an intoxicating mix of fuzzy bass lines, head bopping beats and jagged guitar.”
Self Help have released their blistering new album, Enrage Engage.
The band’s unerring ability to play with genre, as well as their DIY ethics and experimental approach to songwriting, manifests itself into a hazy mix of indie and grunge to alt.rock and post-punk. Their sound has attracted the support from the likes of BBC 6 Music, The Vinyl District, Fortitude Magazine, Turn Up The Volume, Soundsphere Magazine and many more.
Indeed, Self Help’s appeal has stretched to their contemporaries on the touring circuit, having supported artists such as Squid, Goat Girl, The Murder Capital, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard and Animal House. Now, with Enrage Engage officially released, Self Help are eager to thrive in their own right.
Enrage Engage plays out in a blast of psychedelia, from the chugging chords and screeching synths of ‘Spaceman’ to the gorgeous chord progression of ‘Do You Really Mean It’. Final single ‘Make It Stop’, which will be released alongside the record itself, creeps into the bleak personal breakdown of a break-up under the blanket of outrageously heavy post-punk soundscapes. Title track ‘Enrage Engage’ offers a heady mix of sardonic lyricism, dissonant melodies, crunchy synths and explosive sonics while ‘I Want You All To Myself’ is characterised by dream-like, hazy vocals and are accented by an intoxicating mix of fuzzy bass lines. ‘Shiva’ impressively treads into Swervedriver territory before the psych doom odyssey of the nine minute long ‘Kick’.
The record is a diverse collection of songs taking the stance that everything, no matter how dark, can be tipped on its head and moulded into something relatively musical. The album consists of songs discussing broken dreams, feelings of dread and the ongoing machine that is social interaction over the internet.To celebrate the release of the album, Self Help will play their hometown of Oxford, headlining The Bullingdon Arms on 28th June.
Enrage Engage is out now.