New Brutalism premiere 3-track EP „Requiescat Record“

Formed in 1998 and named after a defunct and derided architectural movement, New Brutalism’s sound is as raw and immediate as béton brut. Stripped down to its bare bones, their minimalist rock still has urgency—and beneath the punkish energy resides sophistication and a clear creative vision.

And there’s physical proof of their dedication. Shane Elliott (vocals), Matt Hall (guitar, vocals), David Basford (bass, vocals), and Carey Balch (drums) perform on self-built aluminium instruments. They say: „A thin… yet indestructible platform was desired. We wanted the band to be a total design with tools fit for our specific purposes.“

„Requiescat“, Latin for „he rests“ but more commonly known as the R in RIP (requiescat in pace), became retroactively a dedication to celebrated musician and audio engineer Steve Albini, who passed away in 2024. Albini was a longtime creative partner of New Brutalism and recorded Requiescat Record in 2021.

The three-track EP Requiescat Record is released this Friday, but already celebrates its premiere today with Negative White:

Requiescat Record follows New Brutalism’s unwavering design direction. The three songs, 088, 087, and 089 bow to their strict numerical naming convention. The visual language remains sleek and finds its beauty in a rugged industrial aesthetic that mirrors the no-nonsense approach to music.

And yet, despite the harsh minimalism, the New Brutalism’s sound has an unfiltered emotional quality. The hardcore-styled vocals on 088 scream in the background, leaving the raw instruments in the foreground. There’s space in the composition; no filler sounds disturb the naked recording. It’s an unusual experience, and you’ll be tempted to think something is missing.

087 then is faster and fuller—or better: more layered—, unleashing a punkish atmosphere without sacrificing the instrumental sophistication. And 089 not only grooves along exquisitely but unveils another element of New Brutalism’s soundscape: embracing failure. During the punch-in process, the controller began malfunctioning and punching out of time, leading to a broken solo.

Requiescat Record feels improvisational and intuitive, maintaining a tension between traditional structure and exploration. Repetition is as much a part of the tracks as abandoning the existing. Both 088 and 087 seem to unify two songs in one. Their nature changes seamlessly throughout—they’re alive.

Asked about the kinetic character, the band maybe sums it up best:

„Songs may be anthems or rambles. Anthems adhere to familiar structures, they are tight. Rambles roam, develop and repeat, often violently, they are loose. Words are added, they are usually blunt, direct and rarely intellectual. The results become a song, the song receives a number.“