Preoccupations mature once again

Formerly known as Viet Cong, Preoccupations has just released their third full-length album. Despite only consisting of a quick eight songs, the album manages to deftly tackle issues like never before. Mixed by Justin Meldal-Johnson of M83, Beck and Wolf Alice, New Material is driven by its crashing drums and the band’s ability to lean into their new wave and post-punk inspirations.

One way to describe this album would be the term “organized chaos.” On “Espionage,” drums slowly build an up-tempo song filled with resounding percussion. Meanwhile, lead singer Matt Flegel offers growling vocal support in a song filled with dark imagery and lyrics. The combination of the carefully constructed instrumentation and raspy vocals makes this song suck you in and, as you experience it, get lost in the depth of its structure.

“Manipulation” is another song where the organized chaos of Preoccupations works so well. Primarily relying on drums and a keyboard melody, both instruments are introduced separately but come together to work in complete harmony while Flegel explores his vocal range. When the song brings in floods of feedback, the weight of its discontent overwhelms.

On “Disarray,” we hear disconnected vocals and drums as the group’s guitars take the front seat. This juxtaposition creates a powerful sense of detachment as the effects of the song drive us down a path of despondency while Flegel chants “disarray disarray disarray” from the background. Offered as an upbeat counter to the rest of the album, aptly named “Antidote” features loud drums in the forefront of the song while the synths and hooks create a confusion as Fegel continues with his usual confrontational and aggressive delivery.

With New Material, Preoccupations has created an album that is both beautifully produced and has a perfect balance of hope and honest despondency. Drawing influence from the best post-punk bands before them, the group has created an album that effectively uses the techniques of their past and applied them to the present.