After a twenty-six year break The Membranes broke all the rules of rock with a double album that was so perfectly realised it was been listed by media outlets around the world as one of the best albums of 2015.
‘Dark Matter/Dark Energy’ is a groundbreaking and eclectic work dealing with the biggest themes head on – the universe, sex and death. With a musical and lyrical daring, the band takes the post punk era’s idea of experimental fervour and combines this with pioneering and influentia musicianship to produce their most accomplished album yet, which is also now their best selling album, awash with their off-kilter mix of angular post-punk adventure, Krautrock-ish soundscapes and edginess.
The Membranes of 2015 are no retro band and have somehow placed themselves in the middle of the 21st century post rock hinterland of Godspeed You Black Emperor or Earth whilst refrencing the noisier end of post punk they pioneered decades ago.
Ever restless, the band are already moving on, recently selling out a gig in Estonia where they played alongside a twenty piece all women choir in Estonia. The event was screened on national TV in the Baltics and Gettinga. A two page review in Mojo followed further cementing their presence as one of the most exciting returns to today’s music scene.
In January The Membranes join BBC 6 Music’s Marc Riley for their second session in four months – this time with a choir. Spring sees the band touring with Therapy and a remix of the Dark Matter/Dark Energy in full is scheduled for release in April. The album will feature remixes from the likes of Youth from Killing Joke, The Bad Seeds, Einsturzende Neubauten, Godflesh, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Therapy, Reverend And The Makers, Clint Mansell, Keith Levene, Jah Wobble, JJ Burnel and many others.
The album will be launched with a series of special event gigs where the band will again perform with the choir and John Robb will interview leading scientists in an event called The Universe Explained. Summer sees a series of special festival appearances across Europe as well as lives dates as special guests of Killing Joke on their America tour.
Band photo to be credited to Harry Stafford.
[table caption=”Tour Dates” width=”681″ colwidth=”75|206|150|50|200″ colalign=”left|left|left|left|left”]
Date,Venue,City,State,Country
Feb 09,Thalia Hall, Chicago, IL,United States,
Feb 10,Rumba Cafe, Columbus, OH,United States,
Feb 18,Thekla, Bristol,, United Kingdom,
Feb 19,The Globe, Cardiff,, United Kingdom,
Feb 20,Southampton Engine Rooms, Southampton,, United Kingdom,
Feb 25,Sheffield Plug, Sheffield,, United Kingdom,
Mar 03,Therapy? – The Wardrobe, Leeds,, United Kingdom,
Mar 12,Rescue Rooms, Nottingham,, United Kingdom,
Mar 25,Westgarth Social Club, Middlesbrough,, United Kingdom,
Mar 26,Westgarth Social Club, Middlesbrough,, United Kingdom,
May 14,The Flapper, Sturminster Newton,, United Kingdom,
[/table]
LINKS:
http://www.themembranes.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/theMembranes/?fref=ts
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3rb9AT0JrNegeXk7s6CoZb
