This was one of the later tracks Richard H. Kirk released under the name Cabaret Voltaire. If you’re going to invoke that name as the lone remaining member, then it’s a good idea to make sure that your new music does the original back catalog some justice. Kirk delivered the goods. The Cabs at their best were adept at songs that were ready for the dance clubs but also captured the paranoia and darkness that so often have marked the last four decades. This track is clearly a product of 2020, but it gives a good solid nod to the past he and his former bandmates tried to characterize during their heyday:
Many of their songs incorporated samples from religious and political extremists, used lyrics with disturbing imagery, etc., to capture the dueling impulses toward fascism and destruction on the one hand, and progress on the other. In my day, we referred to the Cabs as an industrial music band. They tend to be lumped in with the broader category of postpunk these days. No matter. The music holds up over time.
Cheers!
