Review: Slaves // Take Control

After their debut album 'Are You Satisfied?' launched them to fame last year Slaves have taken off. Regular plays on BBC Radio 1, nominated for a Mercury Prize and winning the hearts of many fans with their budding bromance, you could have almost forgiven the duo for selling out on their second album.

However fans needn't have worried.

The album begins with the furious 'Spit It Out' and barely lets go of the frantic pace through 'Hypnotised' until the listener reaches the plodding 'Consume Or Be Consumed'. Featuring Mike D (of Beastie Boys) the song meanders safely along through the droning chorus between some excellent lyrical work from Mike D and Isaac. 'Consume Or Be Consumed', however, most encapsulates the lyrical theme of the album, a protest against everyday life.

'Rich Man' can be seen as a crude summary of modern distaste for the rich and the ongoing talk about the "1%". This is swiftly followed by 'Play Dead', chants of "Too Connected, Disconnected" and "Switch It On, Switch It Off" run through the song - a statement on the issues with social media and mobile phones. Not only something you hear on the record but also at their live shows, it is not uncommon to hear the duo tell fans to turn their phones off, stop filming the gig and enjoy whats in front of them, something applied in a wider sense in this song.

One of the main successes of the band is their ability to be not only a serious band but also a humorous one. In particular 'Where's Your Car Debbie', 'Feed The Mantaray' and 'Girl Fight' spring to mind from their back catalogue. This albums equivalent is 'Fuck The Hi-Hat' a homage to the bands early days on the touring circuit when punters would shout out "Where's your hi-hat' to the band that only have a snare and a bass drum in their arsenal. This frantically short track is one of the least important to the overall album but possibly one of the most enjoyed by fans at the bands live shows.

Slaves tour the UK this November

The second half of the album begins to highlight the duo's ability to play something that little bit slower. This is not the bands comfort zone and not necessarily the future of Slaves, however it showcases some of the bands other influences and makes the album seem that little bit more whole.

'Same Again' closes the show with the band returning to a style more familiar to them however grungier than before. This sound seems increasingly like it's going to be the future of Slaves and not many people will be upset with this.

However while this album's sound is almost complete - retaining the bands rawness while achieving a slightly mature sound - they are still a couple of (if very small) steps away from being pencilled in on the list of punks greats. They've released their distaste of wider society without getting particularly political or anarchist and for a band capturing the minds of so many disillusioned youths this is really the next step.

(8.5/10)

-Luke

Artist Spotlight // Slaves

Members:
Laurie Vincent, Isaac Holman

Location:
Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent

Description:
Aggressive hard hitting catchy punk

Songs To Get You Started:
The Hunter (2014), White Knuckle Ride (2012), Where's Your Car Debbie (2014), Shutdown (2015), Cheer Up London (2015), Girl Fight (2012)

Discography:
Studio Albums:

1. Are You Satisfied? (2015) - Stereo Brain Rating: 10/10, Stereo Brain Album Of The Year 2015

EP's & Singles:

1. Sugar Coated Bitter Truth (2012)
2. Where's Your Car Debbie (2014)
3. Hey (2014)
4. The Hunter (2014)
5. Are You Satisfied (2015)
6. Cheer Up London (2015)

Social Media:
Slaves Twitter
Slaves Facebook

Find more articles on Slaves HERE

Find more artist spotlights HERE

Review: Slaves // Are You Satisfied

For many years my dad has plonked CD’s and Vinyls down on my desk of old punk bands. “You’ll like this” he’d say and I did. I’ve always enjoyed kicking back and listening to some Clash and the Sex Pistols.

You see my dad grew up with the punk movement, the politically motivated, hard hitting movement that dominated the rock sub culture in the 70′s. Something remembered by everyone, and loved by many,it brought rebellion and angst to the forefront of music and allowed people to protest in a new and popular way.

But as with many great era’s of music it died away long before I was born in 1996 and to me, and I’m sure to many others, modern popular music is drab, dreary and meaningless. With the exception of a few bands, angry meaningful music was dead.

FInally, however there may be hope.

Halfway through April, my sat me down and said “We need to see this band Slaves”, I didnt think too much about it, it was a cheap gig so I decided to go.

The night before the gig was the first time I listened to any of their music, I switched on soundcloud and listened to their song ‘The Hunter’. From the first note to the very last note I felt as if I had my brain smashed out with a punk rock sized brick. It was incredible. A fantastic riff, a brilliant tune and a thumping beat matched with brilliant lyrics that meant something. A protest song.

The next 24 hours went so slowly, I hadn’t been this excited for a gig in a long time. We trundled down to Portsmouth to a fantastic venue called The Wedgewood Rooms. The two support bands were brilliant and everyone was fired up and ready for the show. While we waited they had reggae music playing over the system, not the normal choice for a punk band, all of a sudden the lights dimmed.

An explosion of noise erupted around the venue, the first notes of ‘The Hunter’ twanged out and the whole crowd appeared to stop still before becoming a frenzied mass of bodies moshing and dancing to the rebirth of punk.

During the gig and after I had never felt such a buzz of an excitement, such an atmosphere around a band whose first album went unnoticed by most of the world. Within weeks they appeared on Radio 1′s live lounge. Bringing this brilliant sound to the country again.


They have received the first Kerrang Spirit of Punk award, and I’m sure many more are to follow after a magnificent first album. The very same album which I plonked down on my dads desk and said “You’ll like this”.

(10/10)

-Luke

Stereo Brain Music Awards 2015 Winners

Breakout Band Of 2015

This was a really tough one, some amazing acts have broken out this year. But the winner for us has to be Slaves. With numerous appearances on Radio 1's Live Lounge, a killer debut album and bringing punk back to the public eye and to a younger generation. Not to mention we saw them 3 times! A great year for Slaves, they deserve this one

Debut Album Of The Year

Again another tough choice with Wolf Alice, Kagoule and Jamie XX all producing stunning debuts but this one goes to 'Are You Satisfied' by Slaves. Thoroughly deserved, a wonderful album!

Best Festival Performance Of The Year

This was definitely the toughest decision. Some incredible performances at some amazing festivals but for us it had to be the Foals secret set at Reading Festival. An amazing set, absolutely blew us away (and a tip of the cap to Slaves who had to follow it).

Album Of The Year

Now. The Big One.

In 3rd Place.... 'The Mindsweep' by Enter Shikari. Building on an already awesome discography this album was beautiful, angry music to our ears.

In 2nd Place... 'Favourite Worry' by The Milk. Not one everyone will own, but an incredible album; soulful, interessting, different. Everything you could want in a nice chilled out album.

But the winner, making it 3 out of 4 awards is 'Are You Satisfied' by Slaves. An awesome album, what more can I say!!

Album Of The Year pt.2

So it's 10 days until we reveal who won our Album Of The Year.
But today we take our (very) long list and reduce it to a short list of 10 who could win the award, here we go:

Positive Songs For Negative People // Frank Turner

This his 6th studio album, Frank has again surpassed himself on this one. A Fantastic albu that just grows on you and takes so many emotional highs and lows it's impossible to ignore!
Our full review from the release here

The Mindsweep // Enter Shikari

Enter Shikari never dissapoint but this album is just fantastic. Simultaneously getting heavier and more electronic whith very political lyrics, it ticks every box. We love it!

Are You Satisfied? // Slaves

Again another incredible album. Slaves debut album has taken 2015 by storm and helped punk rock rear its ugly head in the public eye once again. With 3 fantastic performances on Radio 1 live lounge to get under their bel as well, it's been a fantastic year for the kent duo.

Favourite Worry // The Milk

A very different album to that of Slaves and Enter Shikari. Soulful. Smooth. Catchy. A brilliant album nonetheless, following on from a frantic first album this is an incredible addition to the discography and I can't wait to see what the band do next. A brilliant album also one of BBC 6 Musics albums of the year, worthy of winning any award.
Read our full review here.

Key Markets // Sleaford Mods

A truly divisive album this one, raw and political it doesnt tug at the heart strings. It just says what needs to be said and lyrically brilliant (if a bit explicit) in every song.

White Men Are Black Men Too // Young Fathers

I feel like we've covered an odd selection of genres in this list added to by the Scottish genre breaking tunes of Young Fathers. Having won the mercury prize in 2014 with a stunning debut, this has been a fantastic follow up. An inventive and interesting albu, with some fanastic songs.

What Went Down // Foals

Foals have taken 2015 by storm; an amazing secret set at Reading Festival and a killer new album. Topped to headline many festivals in 2016 this album might be what propels them from a good band to a great one.

My Love Is Cool // Wolf Alice

Another band who, like Slaves, have exploded into the public eye. They owned the summer busting out incredible festiival show after incredible festival show. Not only that their album is catchy and takes the world of indie in a slightl different direction - hopefully far far away from the direction bands like Years & Years are taking it.

Urth // Kagoule

Grungy and miserable is the tone of Kagoule's debut album and we love it. Reaching the top 10 in the vinyl charts this album has made its rounds this year amd there's a good reason why.

That's The Spirit // Bring Me The Horizon

Every album BMTH release they impress me more and more, adapting their style, making it reach a wider audience while still maintaining their original style. Being on before Metallica at Reading & Leeds is not something you'd expect from a band that started as a hardcore band. The new album has reached a wider audience and propelled them up to a much more prominent position amongst the metal elite.

Stereo Brain Best Of 2015 Awards

We've already told you about our album of the year shortlist. Time to announce who's up for our other awards.

Breakout Band Of 2015 Award:
So much choice here, but we've tried to narrow it down as much as possible... So up for this we have

• Wolf Alice
• Slaves
• Sleaford Mods
• Nothing But Thieves
• Pretty Vicious 
• Rat Boy
• Jack Garratt

Best Debut Album Of 2015 Award:

Again so much choice from so many different areas but here we go

• My Love Is Cool // Wolf Alice
• In Colour // Jamie XX
• Urth // Kagoule
• Communion // Years & Years
• Nothing But Thieves // Nothing But Thieves
• Are You Satisfied? // Slaves

Best Festival Performance Award:

After trawling through all the footage from Reading & Leeds, Glastonbury, Isle Of Wight etc... here's what we could find:

• Kanye West (Glastonbury)
• Florence + The Machine (Glastonbury )
• Chemical Brothers (Bestival)
• Bring Me The Horizon (Reading & Leeds)
• Jamie T (Glastonbury)
• Slaves (Reading & Leeds)
• Muse (Download)
• Wolf Alice (Reading & Leeds)
• Foals (Reading & Leeds)

Let us know your favourite!

Album Of The Year

Our 'short' list for Album Of The Year!

Before the 31st of December this going to be reduced slowly. Let us know who you think should win (or if we missed any) in the comments section below.