This year has definitely been another great year for Scotland's favourite alternative/ hip hop groups, Hector Bizerk. They have continued to go from success to success, leaving everyone asking can they do no wrong? The unique blend of musicality, incredible percussion and cleverly written lyrics is what makes Hector Bizerk stand head and shoulders above other bands of the moment.
After the buzz surrounding their last album Nobody Seen Nothing and their series of EP's released throughout 2014 and 2015, Hector Bizerk took a bold decision to release their latest creation, The Waltz of Modern Psychiatry, as a complimentary soundtrack to the stage play Crazy Jane.
The album begins with an incredibly well written instrumental track Overture for Jane. This piece of music conjures up the imagery of an old fair ground complete with with an accordion and piano. From there it's straight into the title track of the album which begins by sounding pretty sinister thanks to some lovely percussion courtesy of Audrey Tait, and a beautifully gentle guitar. Frontman Louie builds his rap alongside the dramatic build-up of the instrumentation and the lyrics tell a story of people struggling through their day to day trying not to crumble under life’s pressures.
Dr. Charcot as you might expect from the title, tells the tale of a character called Dr. Charcot and his views on society and human behaviour. The lyrics are incredibly well written, although we would expect nothing less from Louie, and musically, this track has one of those bluesy chilled out beats that you can’t help but move your head along to.
Welcome to the Nuthouse has to be my favourite track from the album. This track is written as a commentary of someone taking a tour of 'the nuthouse'. It is so cleverly written and inspires great imagery as you imagine all the scenes being described to you.
Escape to Dreamland is another standout, which begins with a spoken piece which sets the scene for the whole song, describing an amazing dream land, where you can see people who are no longer with us and crowds are enjoying euphoric moments and everything you had always dreamed of comes true. It goes on to describe the tale of a female and what she can see in this dreamland, and all the while the music is so atmospheric and builds throughout the middle of the song and then fades towards then end leaving just a voice as it began.
In contract to the previous track, The Salpetriere begins with lively music and a very catchy beat. There's a similar sinister feel to the title track of the album and the drums and percussion on the track are second to none. Moving swiftly on, According to the Pervert tells the story of a girl dancing in a club and how the males in the room perceive her and are completely transfixed by her actions. It's a track which is key in demonstrating the range of influences Hector Bizerk can showcase, with more of a rock feel to it in comparison to some the more bluesy tracks on the album.
Yes, I Do Have Autism has quickly become a fan-favourite and it's easy to see why. An extremely well written track, told through the eyes of someone who has autism and what is going through his mind and the anxieties he is facing in day to day life. Complete with a catchy chorus and a great beat and you've got yourself not only a great song, but an anthem.
Penultimate track En Pointe is a very chilled acoustic affair which tells a collection of stories of all different people who may be struggling or misunderstood. It's a nice change of pace as the album draws to a close with They Told Her She Was Crazy. The closer delves into one female's incredible story about fighting to succeed and battling against other people’s expectations of her. The percussion on this track is amazing and really has you marching along to her beat. The lyrics and instrumentation on this track are spectacular, with the band maintain such a high level throughout the whoe album. .
- Martina Salveta
Hector Bizerk - The Waltz of Modern Psychiatry is out now and available to buy on CD here.
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