Laurie Black

On 'Noisebleed', Laurie Black demonstrates a deft ability to synthesise an eclectic palette of electronic styles into something surprisingly cohesive. The record moves between theatrical Art-Pop, Techno propulsion and Trip-Hop atmospherics, yet always keeps one foot firmly on the dancefloor.

Opening track 'It’s Happening' bursts into life with frazzled, breakneck beats recalling The Chemical Brothers at their most block-rocking and the early Rave-Punk energy of The Prodigy. Over the top float crystalline vocals that temper the chaos with a cool, melodic sheen.

'Lemons' begins with a punchy breakbeat before slipping into a sleek, Pop-Electronica mode reminiscent of the 'Ray of Light' era, shaped by the sonic fingerprints of William Orbit and Madonna. At the bridge it pivots elegantly toward the motorik precision of 'Trans-Europe Express' by Kraftwerk.

The title track 'Noisebleed' carries a darker intensity, evoking the mechanical pulse of 'Army of Me' by Björk before surging forward with the urgent club momentum associated with Josh Wink. Its lyric, “one door opens as one door closes”, lands with evocative weight.

Elsewhere, 'Beyond Bliss' drifts through more Orbit-era Electronica and the shimmering melancholy of 'Teardrop' by Massive Attack, with flashes of icy glamour reminiscent of Goldfrapp.

The socially conscious 'Tastes Like Blood' warns of the dangers of silence, while 'Axis' rides a relentless Techno pulse to critique the erosion of community spaces by speculative development. 'Rewilderness' leans into harsher industrial textures, echoing the dystopian synth aesthetic of Gary Numan.

Late-album highlights keep the conceptual edge sharp. 'Deadspace' offers a sly commentary on celebrity spectacle, nodding toward Katy Perry’s recent trip to space, while 'Whale Bones' closes with claustrophobic Trip-Hop beats and eerie, whale-like vocal textures, underscoring environmental anxieties.

Across nine tracks, 'Noisebleed' reveals Laurie Black as a sonic magpie with purpose: drawing from electronic music’s past while crafting something theatrical, atmospheric and unmistakably danceable.

Ivan De Mello