Since all six members of Effi Briest are female, it’s easy to connect the dots to XX chromosome iconoclasts of yore like Kleenex/LiLLiPUT, the Slits or Ut. However, while Rhizomes bears sonic similarities to the post-punk and No Wave era, this is simply surface, with the band twisting touch-points into something wholly new.
For example, palindromic first single “Mirror Rim” starts off with twinkling guitars and passionately bored vocals, yet soon dissolves into throbbing atonal hum. “Nights” adds creepy Castlevania organs to a minimal melody, while the sparse licks, clip-clop drums (later picking up a disco skip) and hollered yelps of the opening title track bring to mind both Electrelane and The Rapture (before they got sucky).
On top of all this, Effi Briest shares a name with Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s 1974 film (itself an adaptation of Theodor Fontane’s 1894 novel), while a “rhizome” is a philosophical concept developed by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari. These lofty references might help contextualize the sophisticated sound stew of the Brooklyn band’s debut album, or they could just be red herrings. Either way, as an opening salvo, it kicks serious ass.
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