After three EPs, sell-out UK tours and a rapidly developing cult-leader status, Lynks unveils their debut album 'ABOMINATION' and drops single 'CPR'
The time has come. The unapologetically uncategorisable Lynks will drop their debut album ABOMINATION on the 12th April this year. Ricocheting between deeply-rooted, stark shame and giddy, hedonistic delight, Lynks takes us on a dizzying tour throughout the album of modern queer culture via casual sex, references to Sean Cody, and a one-sided love affair with a straight tennis coach.
With their inspirations pinballing from Peaches to M.I.A, Courtney Barnett to Janelle Monae, and more, Lynks’ sound is something akin to a club night being thrown in a blender. Each genre touchstone here is hyphenated, and every endlessly quotable portion takes a surprising turn. Self-written and self-produced, the album brings together half a decade’s worth of artistic and personal progression in under 40 minutes.
'CPR' felt like the perfect metaphor for that weird dynamic
Lynks
They also today share the album’s lead single, ‘CPR’ – a call back to the mid-2000s pop of Kelis, Fergie and Missy Elliott, through a rough, distorted Lynks lens – and its stunning video.
Working with Josh Baxter (PVA) on ‘CPR’, Lynks set out to explore men with saviour complexes: “There’s this temptation to shrink yourself and make yourself seem all helpless and vulnerable with those guys, so they get to feel like some Big Strong Man protecting you. CPR felt like the perfect metaphor for that weird dynamic,” says Lynks
“I first had the idea for CPR while doing a first-aid course at my old job. I was mid-chest compression on my dummy, and suddenly the chorus just came into my head over the rhythm of my hands on the doll. I quickly ran to the toilet to do a voice note, then got back to saving imaginary lives,” they add.
You can watch the music video here:
On this album, there’s quite a few hilarious concepts, but there’s also songs that aren’t necessarily funny
Lynks
Where their earlier work employed a relentless, collage style of effects and high-octane vocals to carve a unique path, ABOMINATION allowed Lynks the space to experiment in a different way. Here they have the runtime to explore a wider range of ideas, new vocal styles, fresh genre elements and gentle narratives.
“I think on the EPs, I was trying so hard to get anyone to pay attention”, Lynks jokes. “Early on I was like “well, every song needs to be a hilarious concept.” Whereas this album, there’s quite a few of those, but there’s also songs that aren’t necessarily funny, or they’re exploring an idea rather than being really specific”.
The result is an accomplished debut that deals in light and shade. Opening with the flamenco-tinged ‘USE IT OR LOSE IT’, the record careens through the messy ins-and-outs of modern life, via unfulfilling one night stands on ‘(WHAT DID YOU EXPECT) SEX WITH A STRANGER’.
On ABOMINATION, Lynks reaches out to their acolytes and the soon-to-be-converted, and invites us all to kneel before their altar.
Lynks’ live shows have been lauded as an unpasteurized shot of electro-punk chaos, filled with pure, unapologetic, camp excess. They set off on their biggest UK & EU headline tour at the start of next year. Find the full dates HERE.
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