People are always using the phrase “the band least likely to re-form” but surely the least likely band to reunite were The Pop Group. Political, mercurial, uncommercial and terrifying, The Pop Group’s legacy was that of a band who sounded like The JBs being compacted in a scrapyard, with a singer who seemed determined to collapse in on himself: their original albums and singles sound like nothing on earth.
Their return in 2015 with Citizen Zombie was excellent, but this year’s follow-up is even better. Produced by Public Enemy’s sonic leader Hank Shocklee and post-punk dub genius Dennis Bovell, Honeymoon On Mars sounds like the world went to war with the kitchen sink and everybody won.
Vocalist Mark Stewart’s unending salt-and-vigour vocals on songs like City Of Eyes and Zipperface combine brilliantly with a space-dub electro palette, and the results are thrilling.
