Liars – Mess (M/NM)

Liars’ Mess (2014) is a feral, synth-splattered detonation of anxiety, perversity, and dancefloor chaos. It’s the band’s seventh studio album and a sharp pivot from the introspective chill of WIXIW into something far more visceral and unhinged. Recorded at their own No Gold Studios in LA, Mess trades ambient introspection for a brash, beat-driven assault—think industrial club music filtered through a fever dream.

The opening track “Mask Maker” sets the tone with grotesque vocal commands (“Take my pants off / Use my socks / Eat my face off”) over jarring synths and pounding percussion. From there, the album spirals through manic highs (“Pro Anti Anti,” “I’m No Gold”) and eerie lows (“Can’t Hear Well,” “Left Speaker Blown”), all stitched together by Angus Andrew’s twisted vocal theatrics and a punk ethos that refuses cohesion