Bad Fractals – The Sea Sang Screaming

Bad Fractals are an international collective from various European outposts that has coalesced in London, UK, this cultural diversity is reflected in the band’s debut album, The Sea Sang Screaming, that brings a distinctly theatrical feel to the band’s off kilter post punk. The seeds of this Vaudevillian racket were sown at the turn of the last decade as the line up slowly expanded and the emerged from the Squats and joined the circus of UK’s festival circuit, and even exposing the frankly unprepared population to their theatrical racket from the back of a flatbed truck. The band sent their fledgling recordings to Youth (Killing Joke) who agreed to mix their unholy theatre, sadly as is a common tale in recent years the album was delayed by the covid lockdown, as was pretty much everything else, and then financial ruin following the lockdown. However, Bad Fractals are a force of nature and now, finally, The Sea Sang Screaming has emerged via Creation Youth.

Kicking things off like a suitably bad trip is the opening track, Bee Sting, that traverses post punk before accelerating across the event horizon into hardcore rhythm, and then heading all the way back again before coming to an unexpectedly abrupt halt. This is followed by the summoning of the Disco Devils that keeps the off kilter vibe flowing, along with an unexpectedly thoughtful breakdown, before it descends into madness. You are then confronted by What You Looking At that heads off into a full tilt Dr Feelgood boogie with an attitude problem, whatever was the Dr was prescribing is probably not recommended for human consumption. Dirty White Toads is expectedly unexpected with its post punk funk, complete with psychedelic oasies of calm, whilst Chemical Weddings gives the impression that this trip is peaking at the album’s midway point.

Half Price Paradise continues the spiral into madness, it is followed by Free Range, that is almost upbeat in comparison, but keep in mind what we are comparing this to, and the unhinged breakdowns remind you that this is Bad Fractals and the unexpected has become customary. The partially abrasive Strike! seems to channels equal parts Rage Against The Machine and lounge jazz which are delivered via a distorted looking glass, whilst Walk Of Shame brings a sinister vibe, almost feeling like a nightmare set to music, which makes it a potential anthem for the modern world. The Sea Sang Screaming closes with the band’s longest track, the buzzing furious Taxman, and let’s be honest, who isn’t furious about the Taxman.

Bad Fractals are possibly sired from the strain as the equally unpredictable and theatrical Erotic Secrets of Pompeii and come from the same lineage as Gaye Bykers On Acid and The Fall, and maybe the Edgar Broughton Band if you want to trip further back in time. Bad Fractals are very much a band following their own path regardless of where it takes them and regardless of the consequences. The Sea Sang Screaming feels like the soundtrack to a bad trip, or maybe a good one, these things are always subjective. The Sea Sang Screaming is discordant, dissonant, and carries equal parts unease and euphoria, this is an album that will either cause revulsion, confusion or delight, you should make your own mind up.

The Bad Fractals are inviting you to join them on a run of dates over the UK’s upcoming Bank Holiday, including an appearance at Bearded Theory Festival. The Sea Sang Screaming is available via streaming platforms and on sea green vinyl and CD through Cadiz Music.