The Karma Party’s ‘punk-step’ – a fusion of dubstep and hardcore – is the sonic embodiment of their native Blackpool: flashing lights and party beats the thin veneer to latent violence and dashed hopes. This second EP’s verses have a spikiness to rival Scroobius Pip, but a few too many of its hooks – Under Surveillance especially – lack conviction. A gang chorus needs to sound like a gang. In every other facet of its sound, Illumination takes the Chuck Norris approach to songwriting – kicking heads clean off when a dead arm may have done – so on the odd occasion a balance is struck, it’s not half bad.
FOR FANS OF: Sonic Boom Six, Enter Shikari, Modestep
(this review was originally published in rock sound magazine issue 191 Oct 2014)
GARETH PIERCE 