Definite Structures by High-Functioning Flesh (Review)

Though the term “industrial” will be applied to High-Functioning Flesh, I wouldn’t be surprised if some genre fans are a bit disappointed upon hearing their music. For better or worse, “industrial” is popularly associated with the metal/electronic hybrid popularized by Nine Inch Nails. But High-Functioning Flesh’s stripped down sound has more in common with the genre’s foundational artists (e.g., Cabaret Voltaire, Front 242).

But “harsh” is something of a relative term. Yes, there’s a bluntness to Greg Vand and Susan Subtract’s music, but there’s also something charming (for lack of a better term) about its scrappy, lo-fi aesthetic. Most songs follow a pretty standard formula: Subtract’s voice rasps and growls over Vand’s minimal synth-work, with plenty of distorted samples thrown in for good measure.

The resulting music is certainly jagged with a punk-like attitude and posture — but it’s also very catchy and even dance-y, particularly on album opener “Hunger Cries” as well as “Afterbirth” and “Grotesque Light.” Ultimately, High-Functioning Flesh’s music reveals a fine truth: music doesn’t need to sacrifice accessibility or hummability in order to be “in your face” and confrontational. Vand and Subtract’s music is all of the above, and better for it.