Naarm–Melbourne trio Remit have finally stepped out of the bunker literally. Their debut album Questions Unanswered, out July 11, was written in their notorious underground “concrete bunker,” and it sounds every bit as tense and humid as the walls that birthed it. A heady mix of rock, post-punk, and krautrock, the record keeps its foot on the accelerator, lashing out at heartbreak, politics, and the absurdities of modern life, with Simon Maisch on co-production and mixing and Don Bartley handling mastering duties.
Right from the opener, “Are You Complaint?” Remit make their intentions loud and clear. Six minutes of thumping drums and gritty guitars underpin a thick, numb, almost detached vocal delivery, until the solo swoops in mid-track, buzzing and coiling like a live wire. It’s no surprise the song has already crossed 5,000 plays on Spotify, its hypnotic grind lingers long after the fade. Then, skipping ahead, “Take This Pain Away” goes darker and heavier. Cymbals crash like breaking glass, drums rumble deep in the gut, and above them, shimmering guitar strums carve out a strange light. The vocal here is slow and anguished, dragging the listener through its weight in a glimmer of catharsis.
Then there’s “Posthuman,” a previously released single that, with throbbing percussion and steady, melodic guitars, hooks us, while the hypnotic, smug vocals lure the listener deeper into Remit’s bleak, sensual soundscape.
All told, Questions Unanswered is a document of noise, despair, and defiance. Check it out on Spotify.
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Review by: Naomi Joan