12 O’Clock Track: The sparse synth sound of Total Control’s “Flesh War”

Anyone within earshot of my person over the past week has heard me not shut up about the release of Total Control’s Typical System, which is both phenomenal and dropping here in the States on June 24 via Iron Lung Records. The Melbourne band broke through with the sometimes-erratic, mostly dark Henge Beat in 2011—there were plenty of singles prior—and have only sharpened their ominous aesthetic to be more unstoppable. A prime example is “Flesh War,” which, coincidentally, is today’s 12 O’Clock Track. More than just a hat tip to a sparse-but-catchy 80s sound of artists like Gary Numan, the track features a simple medium-paced rhythm, soft synth washes, and deadpan vocals with just the right touch of reverb and an air of disenchantment. And the chorus is damn near perfect.