In 1980, Brixton, England’s This Heat followed their groundbreaking 1979 proto-industrial/experimental punk debut with a two song EP that saw them pushing those genres even further.
The title track opens with punk fervor, albeit sounding like Wire at the wrong speed, before shifting into a minimalist post-punk groove augmented by found sound and ending with a stark, rhythmic improvisation. “Graphic Varispeed,” on the other hand, builds from part of the drone that became “24 Track Loop” on the first album, now stretched, morphed and twisted by a graphic equalizer and playback varispeed into eleven-and-a-half minutes of shifting, pulsing feedback tone. It’s two disparate sides that somehow make sense as a greater whole.
This Heat would lean even further toward “punk” on their third and final studio release, 1981’s Deceit (Rough Trade), but this was where their modes actually met.
