Purveyors of quirky noise-pop for sixteen years now, Deerhoof’s eleventh studio album is both a continuation and a break from their typically atypical sound. While the title suggests a doom-laden record, actually, ‘Deerhoof Vs. Evil’ is a happy and light album.
Entirely self-recorded, mixed and mastered, songs such as ‘The Merry Barracks’ and ‘Secret Mobilization’ see the four-piece continue to push the boundaries of pop music by turning kitsch melodies into disturbingly avant-garde tunes that bristle with a tense uneasiness. Dominated by Satomi Matsuzaki’s cute vocals, this is might be a laid-back record, but it’s still one that’s wonderfully challenging.
7/10
Words by Mischa Pearlman
