ALBUM REVIEW: I Like Trains – Kompromat

Atlantic Curve

Released: 21.08.20

With thematic roots lying as far back as Edward Snowden’s 2013 NSA leaks, I Like Trains’ first record in eight years is a wearied, indignant response to events which have snowballed since. From Brexit and covert Russian influence to the rise of populist leaders across the globe, contemporary despair runs through every note of the Leeds band’s return, channelled through a refined palette of taut, angular post-punk grooves.

Naturally, David Martin’s eloquent sneer and on-the-nose lyricism occupy centre stage throughout, yet often it’s Kompromat’s production which steals the spotlight. Moulding protruding guitars and bitter synths into a frosty, anxiety-inducing cacophony, its bars bristle with fraught static tension, and on standouts like The Truth yield some of their most effective and evocative material to date.