MUSIC REVIEW: Ripship ‘Fearsome Engine’ + Interview
To celebrate the release of Fearsome Engine, we’ve also posted the interview we did with Callum & Rae for Issue Two back in July, scroll to the end of the review to read it!
Ripship, the sci-fi psych-rock duo who have been Giant-Robot-Stepping across Tāmaki Makaurau’s music scene, have just released their debut album Fearsome Engine – a fantastic 36 minutes that captures their explosive live sound in HD quality.
I haven’t been so hyped for a new psych-rock album since 2017, when I used up the last of my phone’s data plan to download Polygondwanaland on release day. I would do the same thing for Fearsome Engine, no question. In the words of Ripship themself, the record is indeed “all killer and no filler”. It’s an excellent concept album, it’s an excellent piece of sci-fi narrative, and it’s an excellent display of psych-rock that finally makes NZ a rival to Australia’s psych output.
I think the best part of this record is that the polished production never obstructs Ripship’s core components: Rae’s metronomic drumming, Callum’s box-cutter guitar, the Microkorg sequencer and vocoder [actually, do they still use the Microkorg?] – these elements are so clearly emphasized and maintained. Any additional production elements work as preservation tactics to what Ripship *feels* like as a live act.
Case in point – the synthesized bleeps-sweeps-creeps which introduce The Spyre caught me wildly off-guard initially, but give way to this acidic bass which sneakily fills in the mix’s low-end and (occasionally) the gaps between Callum’s droned guitar notes. But the keyword here is ‘sneakily’ - these additions don’t ever draw the listener’s attention away from the hypnotic drum part – at least not until 2:55 where the noise section is the only thing to listen to. The sub-bass in the outro section paired with Callum’s signature delay-drenched guitar tone is a treat to experience.
Actually, while I’m talking about The Spyre I’d like to praise the processing on Rae’s vocals that maintain her Leah Senior-styled narration while also making her sound like a sci-fi Chelsea Wolfe in the chorus sections of the track. In the same vein, her vocals in the Cloud Seeder breakdown (2:40) give me chills when paired with Callum’s Funeralopolis-esque doom riff.
I also love what’s been done with the vocals on Moore’s Law. Callum’s doubled takes are snugly intertwined, and the ever-growing vocal layers in every chorus to emphasize the AI’s growth really elevate the track. Special mention to Callum’s monotone delivery of “The ceiling / of progress / is anything / but low” - a really pleasing moment to my ears and an excellent way to break up the track.
The digital artifacting could potentially seem obvious when talking about robots or other digital intelligence, but the bit-crushing is so tastefully included that I barely even had this thought. It flew straight past my ears and only further emphasizes that these little production details never get in the way of Ripship’s live sound.
I’m wildly grateful that the record showcases the band’s strength as a songwriting pair. Every track is structurally rocksteady, every melody/riff/groove is immediately distinct and catchy - no notes out of place, no boring moments across the record. Callum and Rae’s creative energy is joined at the hip in the same way a decades-old jazz band might be, perfectly in sync and knowing when to let the other step forward. Fearsome Engine showcases Ripship’s strength as a powerhouse duo in a way I thought could only be experienced live.
Some other thoughts:
I love that there’s an obvious loop-point to Callum’s riff on the titular Fearsome Engine, exactly like he’s chucked it into a loop pedal.
Ripship is Online is this psychedelic stomp joining Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams or Tame Impala’s Elephant, and the synth-heavy prog is so well executed that it makes a song like King Gizzard's Crumbling Castle quake in its 10-minute-long boots.
Insufficient Data is so good. It’s harrowing – the whole album is – but it’s this song that so expertly encapsulates the demise of humankind at our own hands. Sonically, it feels like Part II to The Bait/Giant Robot Steps run from Greebles, the evocative narration paired with controlled-chaos instrumentation; the ultimate expression of the ‘sci-fi’ side to the ‘sci-fi psych-rock’ genre.
B12 is the credit song to the end of humanity. I can’t count time signatures, but B12 feels wildly wonky and completely inhuman.
It used to be that whenever I heard a vocoder I thought of either Bruce Haack or Daft Punk - I’m so relieved there’s finally someone else to add to the list!
I always felt that the Greebles EP sounded like listening to Ripship from the back of a venue; undoubtedly exciting, but never quite like being in the crowd. Fearsome Engine is like you’ve pushed your way to the front row and you can hear the click of Callum’s pedals under his feet. If you haven’t seen Ripship perform live, or you’re somewhere where they haven’t played yet, this record is by far your best bet to experience them at the moment – and you better well take the opportunity!
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Fearsome Engine is on Spotify, Apple Music, or Bandcamp.
Support Ripship by grabbing a vinyl copy of the album here, or here.
IN CONVERSATION WITH: RIPSHIP (published Issue Two, July 2022)
An interview with Ripship, the sci-fi psych-rock band who will probably write the soundtrack to the end of the world. We chat old school sci-fi movies, their upcoming album, and how Ripship manages such amazing live sets.
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Rat World: Who are you and what do you do?
Ripship: We are sci-fi psych-rock band Ripship- we play gigs and record music about AI, Rubik’s Cubes and the death of our universe. Rae is on drums and vocals, Callum is on guitar, synth and vocals.
How’d you guys get started out?
Ripship: We started dating first and because we both play instruments the jams were inevitable.
Your sci-fi psych-rock style is super cool, I know “Man After Man” is inspired by Phil Hood’s art artwork - what other non-musical influences do you draw from?
Rae: I draw from a lot of sci-fi novels and short stories, such as Iain Banks’ culture series and the classics like Asimov and Phillip K. Dick. I’m also studying software engineering and a lot of my technological anxiety comes from concepts that come up in class.
Tell us about your new album, what’s been cooking up in the two years since Greebles?
Ripship: The new album is damn near finished! It’s mostly songs we’ve been gigging with the last couple years, plus a few surprise new songs as well as some twists on the old ones. Expect a more focused, polished product than Greebles.
Your live sets are electric!! How do you manage the layers of guitar, drums, vocals, synths, effects etc
Callum: We barely manage haha. I’ve considered automating things like switching pedals or syncing loops to a click but it feels a bit inauthentic, at least in my opinion. I’d rather have a couple fuckups than a laptop on stage the whole time.
You guys talk a lot about mankind, humanity, the future etc in your lyrics. Where do you think we’ll all be in 100 years time?
Callum: I think we’ll be living in a capitalist hellscape, where basic needs are behind paywalls or compulsory ads.
Rae: Working for Amazon.
The title of “Man After Man” is inspired by Dougal Dixon’s speculative evolution book of the same name. What about this book had such an effect on you guys and why did it seem relevant to the type of music you wanted to make?
Ripship: We really enjoy the theme of transhumanism and its many avenues, such as evolution, genetic modification and technological augmentation. Plus Phil Hood’s artwork is sick in every meaning of the word.
Why “Ripship”, and why not “The Ever-Loving Fuck”?
Ripship: The Ever-Loving Fuck is a great name for a punk band, which we are not.
What scares you about the future, either your personal future, or the broader future of our earth and society?
Ripship: This is a silly question because we clearly live in a block universe, and time is an illusion. Next!
Favourite old school sci-fi movie?
Callum: I really like Paul Verhoeven’s trifecta of sarcastic sci-fi action movies. Starship Troopers especially.
Rae: 2001: A Space Odyssey hits the artificial intelligence stuff and the space stuff so it’s the G.O.A.T.
You guys met at a concert, then started a band. Do you think/hope that another couple-band will start at one of your shows?
Ripship: That would be awesome! We’ve actually wanted to put on a Valentine’s Day gig where all of the bands are couples but we’ve had trouble finding them haha. ∎
