Preoccupations are a tough band to get into. After the P.C. change in name from Viet Cong, it seems they've cut down on the post-rock/noise-rock aspect and gone more to the dance/electric side of things so as to carve a new identity. Or maybe it's just musical exploration? Either way I loved Viet Cong but Preoccupations left me wanting a bit more. New Material on the other hand, well it seems to find that balance slightly better, while still venturing into new pastures. Is it as epic as say, the swell of songs like "Continental Shift"? No, but while there's work to be done still, it's still a solid step forward.

This album, make no mistake, is a dance/synth pop/electro record that pays homage to the 80's. It's less rock and roll, and more New Order, Joy Division and to some extent, Daft Punk. These are best seen on the opening track, "Espionage" as well as "Disarray". They're all shimmery dance items that feel made for Netflix shows like Voltron or documentaries like Wild, Wild Country (which ironically had Void Vision's "Sour" on it that feels a lot like what Preoccupations are trying to accomplish here).

I guess it's because I'm older this musical shift is working though. A couple years ago I wouldn't have been as receptive, but with bands like Pianos Become The Teeth and Touche Amore teaching me to let go, well, New Material manages to sink its fangs in neatly. 

Side note: I feel like these songs belong on films like Turbo Kid and Kung Fury to be honest. They take themselves seriously but not too seriously.

However, the Canadian band need to watch how washed out and drowned the production is because the vocals do get lost a lot. That said, there are nods to the old era on "Manipulation" and even tributes to Ceremony. Seriously, "Solace" reeks of homage to Ian Curtis, and hey... it's not a bad thing at all. When all's said and done though, Preoccupations' best skin is worn on sings like "Compliance" -- which feels like when they were young and restless in Viet Cong. It's a perfectly loud closer, buzzy and hazy, that marches down bearing doom on you in a style that old-school Mogwai and Russian Circles would love. Instrumentally powerful and a wall of sound that leaves you wanting more. Hopefully, they finesse more jams like this in the near future because as fun as this dance record is, it can get old pretty quickly.