Cap Pas Cap - Haunted Light

It's great to be proven wrong by a band. First time that I saw Cap Pas Cap live, I didn't rate them at all, it just seemed to be unremarkable new-wave shape-throwing. Fast-forward to the Liars gig in Whelan's earlier on this year, where both these guys and Logikparty gave the New Yorkers a serious run for their money with two excellent support sets. Cap Pas Cap's sound seemed to have an extra kick to it, edgy and dark, with some irresistible basslines anchoring their tunes.

Expectations for debut LP Haunted Light are pretty high then. Opening/lead track 'Mirrors' doesn't waste any time, laying down a throbbing groove: it's sleek but there's an unmistakeable layer of scuzz there too. Their sound is reminiscent - certainly vocals-wise - of CSS or New Young Pony Club, but it's less pop-oriented and there's a murkier vibe to it. 'We Are Men' continues in the same vein: one of their older tunes, it'll probably be familiar to many, but it still sounds fantastic here, with a pounding, relentless, low-end-heavy assault.

Arguably the standout track on Haunted Light is 'Friends', which is driven along by a massively infectious groove and complemented by deadpan, attitude-drenched vocals. It's bound to be a live favourite. Quickly following it is 'Hearts', which shows another side to the band: airy, atmospheric and sinister-sounding, it might slow things down tempo-wise but its nocturnal vibe fits right in. Elsewhere, 'Y Lies' adds fuzzy guitars to the mix with what's probably the heaviest 'rock' number on the album.

Haunted Light isn't flawless by any means, and things can get a bit samey here and there, but there's lots to love and the album's well worth investigation. It's out November 12th, with the album launch in The Workman's Club the following night. Pre-orders are available now from Skinny Wolves: http://www.skinnywolves.bigcartel.com/product/wolf006-cap-pas-cap-haunted-light-cassette

Cap Pas Cap - Mirrors by Cap Pas Cap

Live dates:

5 Nov with ANIMAL DISCO and DD/MM/YYYY Auntie Annies, Belfast
12 Nov with Trumpets Of Jericho Quad, Cork
13 Nov "HAUNTED LIGHT" LP Launch with Meljoann, Catscars +White Plague Djs Workman's Club, Wellington Quay, Dublin

27 Nov Roisin Dubh, Galway

Check out the mix the band did for Skinny Wolves, which gets a major thumbs up for including one of the most underrated New Order songs, 'Chosen Time':

CAP PAS CAP - Mix // July 2010 by SkinnyWolves

Did somebody say New Order and 'Chosen Time'? Check out this footage of New Order in one of their earliest live shows after the death of Ian Curtis. Fascinating stuff:



http://cappascap.bandcamp.com/

http://www.skinnywolves.com/