Gimic’s debut album proves that half a dozen yolks can indeed make a great omelette!
A 6 year wait? No problem…Gimic’s debut album comes after a couple of 7” singles and demos which I missed out on…every…single…one…shameful. ‘New Traditions’ throws down a second chance to climb aboard with its 12 songs of emotive, specially crafted, breathless punk attitude.
Masterful arrangements of guitar (Rory J), bass (Rory M), drums (Jake) and vocals (Harriet) make ‘New Traditions’ a wholly satisfying musically experience.Every track has come from the same DNA yet there’s no flagrant rehash peppering these truly brilliant songs. The opening and closing tracks, ‘Read The Rune’ and ‘The Instrument’, are not there to ease you in or soften off from the defiant stance portrayed throughout the album. If anything these two songs keep you in your place…yup there’s no escaping Gimic.
Let’s get to what makes this album the napalm that it is…
‘Links in the Same Broken Chain’ with it’s chorus opening lyrics of, “links in…the same…” followed by “…broken..!” is so captivating it’s impossible to fathom where the song is about to take you. And it’s that heady feeling of expectation that each of these songs lays upon you.
With ‘Dark, Darker’ , the current state of the world is pulled into view. “I plant seeds in my hateful garden” seems to talk to a bitterness felt where so much that is wrong with the state of the world that it only looks to be gaining more traction.
The last track on the first side ‘In The Yolk’ blisters off and commands the entirety of the next minute and half. The intro seems to use a piece of guitar feedback to emulate (to my ear) a whistle being blown. There is no wasted second in this lead out of side one.
Side two starts with the longest track on the whole album, ‘New Traditions’ . At close to four minutes in length, it’s a shift in tempo with Gimic allowing themselves some air an space. Harriet has a verse or two, as the song closes out, where her vocals emotionally crack reminding me of a prime Mrs. Cobain. The song still feels very at home amongst the riotous pulsating sonics and it’s a credit to the band to try this when it would be easier to not.
‘Fascistic Feelings’ and ‘Begging To Die’ bring us back full circle while ‘Disintegrate’ opens with lyrics, “You are mouthful of broken teeth…you are a wall of concrete…’ followed by an almost country twang of, “You are everything that I hate and you want to disintegrate” is just so natural to the ear. Totally original and so, so fluid!
The last track is momentous. ‘The Instrument’ automatically hits my muscle memory, spinning to a certain Washington DC band. Bass leads the opening to the song which is attacked by some intense guitar work. And the jazz-like breaks…my oh, my…they give over all kinds of Dischord feels. As the song reaches the climax, Harriet’s nerve-endings feel like they are being projected through her voice. Nothing is left on the table.
Yes, Gimic have some important things to say and yet the musically structure of their songs isn’t restricted to one rigid genre. You can tell the band have had a great deal of fun bringing this album to life. The weaving of influences, both old and new, is no mean feat when you consider the result sounds so fresh and uncontrived.
With an album that has two thirds of it songs under two minutes, I initially thought there wouldn’t be enough grit to hook itself past the first play through. How very wrong I was. ‘New Traditions’ has so much to say musically and lyrically that I dare you not to have it on repeat throughout 2026 and beyond!
‘New Traditions’ is released on 3rd July – order the vinyl version HERE.
Upcoming gigs:
8th August 2026 – Exchange, Bristol
22nd August 2026 – Dean Lane Hardcore Funday, Bristol
Main Photo Credit: IAN HANHAM
- Read The Rune
- Links In The Same Broken Chain
- The Devil’s Rose
- Dark, Darker
- Psychic Driver
- In The Yolk
- New Traditions
- Fascistic Feelings
- Begging To Die
- Disintegrate
- No Colour
- The Instrument
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