- Extreme music tends to be noisy, uncomfortable and challenging. Luke Younger's music as Helm is all of these things, just in a softer, more ambiguous way. On Olympic Mess, Younger created an aural environment you could step into and lose days trying to delineate its individual sounds. He transformed the mundane into the deeply mysterious, and his compositions continue to transport us far away from earthly things.
World In Action was written during the media frenzy of Brexit, but, true to form, it stays vague and open to interpretation. "Blue Scene" is a piece of frantic free jazz mixed with something balmy and melodic. It weaves the impression of hope born from chaos, yet the mood remains somber and bluesy, aching with loss. "Candy" and "World In Action" are more metallic and post-industrial. The title track, psychedelic and dubby, is the record's best cut. "After Dark" is a smudgy accompaniment to "Blue Scene." It's got fractured memories of that opening melody, there's a soaring sensation and a feeling of warmth. Yet it's hazy, with no tangible audio elements to hold onto. There's just a sense of things rushing away from you in a blur of confusion and blinding light. After repeated listens you're once again left with more questions than answers.
TracklistA1 Blue Scene
A2 Candy
B1 World In Action
B2 After Dark