Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
- Written by Catherine Wilson
Mogwai make a comeback with their sixth studio album, the first release since 2010’s live-recorded Special Moves, and it’s clear from the off that Hardcore Will never Die, But You Will will be a different, altogether more accessible beast.
Album highlight ‘Rano Pano’ is built around a skull-crushingly distorted bassline, and this is yet another tune that makes its melody just as important as the texture. ‘George Square Thatcher Death Party’ is one of only a handful of tracks to feature singing, with Stuart Braithwaite layering his heavily manipulated vocals over the indie-disco backdrop of relentless beats, bass and synths. Get this: you’ll remember snippets of inventive vocal for hours later after hearing them just the once, rather than a clanging guitar refrain a la ‘Mogwai Fear Satan’ that might take ages to get beneath your skin. This is a more settled Mogwai, painting the bigger picture and more at ease with the intricacies of their genre.
The self-styled kings of the ostinato have taken a step sideways with Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will, marking a shift into a more structured sensibility. Ideas and motives are explored with accomplishment but never overplayed or aggressively treated, making this record stand up as an amenable in-road for new Mogwai listeners. If all you know of Mogwai is ‘Glasgow Megasnake’, then it might be time for another listen.