4.5/5 stars
I’ve just been to the planet of the Filthy Apes and I think I’m going to stay. Donning gorilla masks and pseudonyms, the Perth-based band has crafted a scuzzy, psychedelic debut that is so good it could almost convince you to visit Perth.
Meanwhile, let’s settle for the journey that is Indigovidual, starting with the soaring guitars of ‘Colour Cafe’ and riding the monkey magic until the pounding breakdown of ‘Death Kwan Doh’.
This EP as a whole is brilliantly executed. Each song feels like an extension of the last, but by the end you realise there’s been a drastic shift in tone since the beginning. As catchy as the hooks are, the band knows not to get too stuck on a good thing and frequently introduces new ideas before the old ones get stale.
This is probably because it’s a ‘use every part of the buffalo’ type of record. No-one in the band is left behind. When vocalist Father Time transitions between psychedelic wailing and punk screaming, the elements are so in sync it’s hard not to feel euphoric. It would work as well in a stadium as it would in your basement, and Indigovidual proves that the Filthy Apes are ready for both. Get your stinking paws on it.
Indigovidual is out now through Kontrol.
