Posthuman
I remember the day Pure came out back in April of 1992 and my fascination only grew from there. Through the two decades since, I’ve covered so many diverse projects on this site. If you’re reading this, I probably don’t need to list them. As I tore into the package containing Justin’s first solo record, it hit me; I have no clue what I expect this album to be like. Most of us know expectation is everything and can make or break any experience. Unsurprisingly, Posthuman didn’t fit my expectation.
I think I was expecting to be crushed. I was not. Perhaps I looked for the sequel to beautiful and haunting Skinner’s Black Laboratories tracks. This is nothing like that at all either. As the first tracks passed, I was greeted with so many familiar sounds. The noise-laden guitars from Grey Machine. Loud interludes a la early/mid-Techno Animal. D&B from the highly-prolific late-90s. There’s clearly Godflesh in here. But none of it sounds generic or redundant.
What we have here is pure Justin Broadrick and any fan of his varied catalog should recognize this instantly. The mostly-instrumental record truly covers his sprawling career by combining so many familiar sounds. When his voice is used, it is precisely what you expected it to be.
As mentioned earlier, it is not a crushing album; I think Justin is saving that for the impending Godflesh LP. It is also not very melodic, as we have that already in some Final material and a lot of what Jesu has turned out to be. There are some small but very unique portions of this album that expand on what Justin can do, but let’s face it, no one ever really thought there was a barrier. Any fan who stuck around through the Streetcleaner – Slavestate – Pure – Selfless years knows better. And however varied I’m making this sound, Posthuman is indeed one vision, one LP. It sounds so much like what you know but yet modern and new. It is not Justin’s best work, but then again, very few of us can agree on even a top-five list anyway.
This is a heavy record. It is noisy and it is powerful. It is dark and moody. Essentially it is why I gained interest in JKB more than 20 years ago and why I continue still.
[written for Crumbling Flesh]
