Youth Code: " A Place to Stand"

Youth Code are not just a hipster trend. This album proves to me there is no irony in what they do. Industrial with a strong edm influence. Sara's vocals have and androgynously harsh metallic scream to them, these are lashing at you courtesy of the little blond . I like that they are abrasive and in your face. Their video goes from their singer being tortured and experimented on to a monkey receiving similar treatment and fits the sounds they are throwing at you nicely. At three minutes this confrontational single has me pressing repeat on it rather fervently. They get right to the point not trying to artfully wear you down with long drones of electronic ambiance, instead they kick you right in the fucking throat.

"To Burn Your World" find the vocals taking a more jagged path around the angular beat. It touches on "Too Dark Park" era Skinny Puppy, which is interesting since they are currently touring with Ogre and Company, who are clearly an influence, though it would like being in a metal band and not be influenced by Black Sabbath."Litany( a Place to Stand) finds singer on her soap box. The beat underneath her rant could have developed into something interesting but instead makes the song feel like an interlude. I think a darker approach that was not so message blatant might have served the album better, but they do darken back up on "No Animal Escapes"

When  the remix of "No Animal Escapes" kicks in it does so with a slightly off center groove that is more edm than industrial , but shows this project has some range to it. This is song and the other remixes that follows are all from last year's self titled ep. The first odd mis-step of sorts in the remix of "Wear the Wounds" could have been spared of some of the Gangsta rapping, as it sets an odd juxtaposition against the message of "Litany" that seems to take such a strong stance against some of the stereotypes this song enforces. They redeem themselves with "Sick Skinned) which is the God Module Pandemic re-mix.  This finds them much closer to modern industrial, not unlike Pysclon 9 or the like. This also proves something interesting about this project which is they are really the first that is coming from hipster culture and being embraced by the latex make smeared industrial goths that come from the depths of the club scene. I think this serves as a testament to Youth Code's ability and vision.

The Silent Servant re-mix of "Let the Sky Burn" closes out the proceedings on this album. It sounds like make vocals are on this track, they are low in the mix , almost buried under the blip and bounce of the beat. I'll round this up to a 10, I think it's just a matter of me getting used to their politics and how those line up with throwing in some gangsta rap that I haven't yet wrapped my head around, and maybe I am not supposed to. Maybe that is where the irony is. They are not adoring your moustache or thrift store gym shorts, nor would they piss on Deerhunter if they were on fire as they are engrossed in what they are doing, just as you will be engrossed in it if you ...are into this sort of thing and give it a listen.