“Man has such a predilection for systems and abstract deductions that he is ready to distort the truth intentionally, he is ready to deny the evidence of his senses only to justify his logic” Fyodor Dostoevsky – Notes from Underground (1864)

The Intermittent Signal is the sound of resistance.

In the year since The Sick Man Of Europe’s debut album was released, the world has moved on. Steady hands have slipped from the levers of power, logic has shifted underground and the message grows more urgent with every passing day.

Repetition has been relearned and the machine rhythms repurposed, this time with increased intensity. Arrangements have moved beyond the bare bones economy of the first record and there’s a newfound melodicism in places. Clarity and conviction ring true through the static and noise, while utopian ideas to remodel a broken system gain traction. This is a rejection of the attention economy and a call to reconnect through community and organisation. Those simple acts that were once commonplace have become increasingly radical as new fractures emerge.

“Through repetition the message has gained weight and become something more urgent,” The Sick Man Of Europe explains. “The vehicle for this message needed to evolve, grow to attain the strength to carry it. We’ve landed on something more expansive, immediate and immersive. Less is more. Until it isn’t.”

This collective looks to move beyond the platforms that monopolise our time and monetise our attention in pursuit of unfathomable wealth. For those with an ear to the ground there are irregular updates on the airwaves – a nod to the spirit of Radio Alice, a counter-culture free radio station transmitting from Bologna in the late 70s, which embraced political action and drew inspiration from the Situationists and Dada. The revolution will be built on these foundations.

“Any references you may hear in the static are not the starting point, nor are they there by chance,” TSMOE continues. “The message doesn’t arrive fully formed – without those who came before, it is nothing. Today the human experience is one of fear, anxiety and alienation as our identities and sense of self are erased. Hope, connection and organisation are required to stop the inward implosion and downward spiral. The Intermittent Signal is not our beginning, it is not our end, it is our now.”

On the surface, The Intermittent Signal paints a bleak picture. From the opening three track salvo it barely draws breath – “If you’re not exploiting yourself, you’re exploiting someone else” is the message repeated to the point of hyperventilation on ‘Negative Stimuli’. ‘Chromophobia’ hints at the pop sensibilities of Depeche Mode while ‘Apathy’ cranks the nihilism up several notches. From there, the album begins to reveal its emotional knotted heart. There are moments of vulnerability and self-doubt in the dissonance. There are cracks where the light seeps in, but hope comes only with the call for change.

The Sick Man Of Europe has built a reputation for uncompromising live shows which blur the lines between audience and performer, and have fostered a growing and loyal following. The desire for more visceral experiences beyond those viewed on a screen is a natural reaction to technology’s flattening of culture. The movement doesn’t start or end with the TSMOE – but The Intermittent Signal attempts to articulate an alternative and mobilise beyond an abstract feeling of discontent.

Dinked Edition of 500 on ‘Phosphor Plate’ vinyl, includes fold-out zine/poster and ‘Roentgenizdat’ 7” flexidisc featuring an exclusive bonus track – BAY 142VD

Limited indies/Bandcamp edition of 600 ‘Chromophobia White’ vinyl LP – BAY 142VX

Black vinyl LP – BAY 142V

Limited edition CD (600 copies) – BAY 142CD

BAY 142E