A storm of sound without detours: My take on Clean Beast's ‘Sympathy/Empathy’
To be honest, I loved Clean Beast's ‘Sympathy/Empathy’ right away – it's rare to find a song in this genre that is so fast-paced, precise and uncompromisingly to the point.
I admit, the first thought that crossed my mind when I heard it was: This sounds like a tribute to Hatif's electronic dark wave tracks. It's precisely this edgy mix of synth pop and dark wave vibes that makes it so appealing to me. The track – which, incidentally, comes from Australia – gets straight to the point without any frills: no unnecessarily long intros, no playful outros. At just 2:20 minutes, there's simply no room for anything superfluous, which I find pure efficiency.
To my ears, the intro to ‘Sympathy/Empathy’ sounds very much like post-punk dark wave. But after about 30 seconds, there's a big twist: the synthesizers rush forward powerfully, giving the sound an extra boost of energy. That's when the track really grabs me. The production remains clear and crisp throughout, almost powerful, leaving no doubt that no compromises have been made here.
I think Clean Beast manages (once again) to challenge the listener not only sonically but also energetically – all without resorting to trite melancholy, but with a modern, extremely direct approach.
