A year has gone by since the release of Youth Code's self-titled debut album, and they're still mad as hell; the raw energy that saw the EBM duo make waves in their native L.A. is still very much present, just maybe a bit more polished and focused. Enlisting the help of producer Joshua Eustis (of Telefon Tel Aviv fame and former Nine Inch Nails collaborator and touring member), was a sound move, one that highlights band members Ryan George and Sara Taylor's vocals without ever trumping them. Their emotions are allowed to run wild throughout the course of the four original tracks contained on their new double-sided EP, A Place To Stand, some of the best material Youth Code have released in their young career.
The four remixes found on the B-side to the EP are the only downside to this new release: while not necessarily bad, they come off as unnecessary. The Sanford Parker And Dark Hearts remix of "No Animal Escapes" fits well with the preceding four tracks, but the clipping. remix of "Wear The Wounds" is the definition of de trop. All four original tracks form a tight cohesive package, one that ends on a high note with "A Litany (A Place To Stand)," Sara Taylor's spoken word rant about gender inequalities, homophobia, transphobia, capitalism and racism. A Place To Stand feels like a very strong and deliberate step forward for the duo, one that leaves the listener overwhelmingly excited for what's in store next.
(Dais Records)The four remixes found on the B-side to the EP are the only downside to this new release: while not necessarily bad, they come off as unnecessary. The Sanford Parker And Dark Hearts remix of "No Animal Escapes" fits well with the preceding four tracks, but the clipping. remix of "Wear The Wounds" is the definition of de trop. All four original tracks form a tight cohesive package, one that ends on a high note with "A Litany (A Place To Stand)," Sara Taylor's spoken word rant about gender inequalities, homophobia, transphobia, capitalism and racism. A Place To Stand feels like a very strong and deliberate step forward for the duo, one that leaves the listener overwhelmingly excited for what's in store next.
