- Six years on from their debut album, Melbourne's Infinite Void are back with Endless Waves, a second album of reverb-soaked moody post-punk. Not that they have been sitting around for the last half a decade. There have been a couple of split singles released with overseas bands and Infinite Void members Jacquie Hynes and Alicia Sayes are both active in the more raucous Deep Heat, who released an album a couple of years ago.
The two concurrent bands are not the only times these two have played together - they were both also in The Diamond Sea along with Infinite Void drummer Scud Viney, playing a similar kind of angular post-punk music. Add to that the fact that singer/guitarist Sayes played with Infinite Void's final member and guitarist Tristan Clarke in the much-missed crust-punk band Schifosi and you get one of the most convoluted band family trees in Australian music.
With the members all involved in multiple other projects you might assume that each band represents a specific part of their musical tastes, and that does seem to be the case. Certainly Infinite Void is a long way from Schifosi's blackened crust, moreso now than on the first self-titled album. Maybe it's just getting older, or maybe the more punky song ideas have been absorbed into Deep Heat, but this Infinite Void record certainly seems to be a more laid-back affair.
A layer of reverb sits over all of Endless Waves, which makes the title seem to fit as an adjective for the sound. It also suits the album artwork - which is a shapeless wash of orange and red watercolour hues. This is obviously a conscious sound, but I have to say it does kinda make all the songs blend into one. I know I was craving a bit of the old intensity of Schifosi to liven up my listening experience. It didn't come, and actually the reference point that most came to mind was something like Beach House - sepia-toned sounds that are pretty but glide by without really demanding your attention.
I guess that is the intention for this instalment of the output from this prolific group of musicians. We can probably expect other releases from them to fit the mood of more energetic or angry moments. For now, Infinite Void have released probably one of the most chilled out punk albums you will hear this year.
- Andy Paine.