Suspectre is a new
post-punk band of three friends based in Frankfurt, Germany. After having spent
the last years in several DIY contexts and music projects they finally started
this new band in 2018. They played a few concerts in 2019, but were rather quickly
stopped again by the pandemic. Nevertheless they recorded a 12’’ record as
their debut release in 2020. It contains 8 songs that are a diffusely
influenced blend of various punk-related genres held together by its basic 3
instrument arrangement. Combining the rhythm-driven verve of garage punk with a
warm and melodic pop appeal, they create their very own sound in the vast
post-punk landscape. Lyrically the songs reflect on inner states and depict the
individuals’ behaviour in modern consumerist society. In particular they focus
on the experiences of alienation and social pressure. Meandering between the
discontent of unsolved expectations and the longing for something better, they
comment on the strains of contemporary life.
“Known Pleasures,”
Suspectre’s single, is a revved-up, propulsive track with a wiry twitchiness to
it. It’s closer to straight-up punk rock than what you’ll hear from some of the
hyped-up British and Irish bands coming out these days, but the vocals have
that classically post-punk combination of sardonic and freaked-out. “Known
Pleasures” is a song all about the perpetually unsatisfying need to keep
staring at bullshit on screens: “Our rooms we fill with pleasure until the next
fake need makes us proceed/hungry whole time, unsatisfied, with noise and
lights that don’t enlight.” That’s real shit!