The U.K.-based post-punk group Post Ironic State sound refreshingly energetic and captivatingly immersive on their single “What the Hell is Going On?”, which is available now. Strong melodies lead their sound, which features a lot of dynamically distinct components. Ranging from more traditional rock band instrumentation to synths, the rich sonic tapestry gives the song a very organic, real-life vibe, as if it’s the soundtrack to meandering in and out of a row of clubs on a darker, dimmer side of town rather than visiting the pristine high-life.
The song begins with an energetic, easily danceable synth rhythm that’s quickly accompanied by short, quick — and also danceable — apparent blasts on the guitar. These apparent guitar parts fade away and leave the retro-sounding synths on their own when the vocals come in, and the sultry-sounding singer proclaims: “I can’t promise I’ll seize the day, but I’ll try.” The pulses in the quick-stepping but dynamically shifting music really memorably fill out the experience of the propulsive anxiety that the group has captured a confrontation with.
The melodies that the band perform with those warm but angular-sounding synths at the forefront feel remarkably enlivening, like the group has captured a real musical portrait of the point in dealing with anxiety when the waves of tension start to break. The crescendoing melody that repeats throughout the consistently rather upbeat song feels like it’s pushing along a real catharsis, and for much of the song, the instrumentation stands entirely on its own, which allows for the richness of the melodies to really shine.
Post Ironic State are apparently on the newer side — they were formed in early 2019 — but they’re a definite good group to watch. These melodies really pop.
5/5 Stars
Check out the song below!
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