WE WERE JUST HERE
Irish quintet Just Mustard had already cut an intriguing figure prior to the release of *WE WERE JUST HERE*, developing a gorgeous squall of friction and angst that allowed them to stand apart from the post-punk sound so thoroughly embraced by many of their contemporaries. On their third album, the group takes their biggest leap yet, incorporating the tricky rhythms of electronic music—the dissonant squelch of industrial, 2step’s unmistakable clip-clop gait—into their already tough-to-pin-down sound. The dusky dubstep environs of “DANDELION” and the propulsive mountain-scaling of “SILVER” suggest superhuman qualities behind Shane Maguire’s drum kit, while he pounds against squalls of noise on “THAT I MIGHT NOT SEE,” sounding as if a storm is beating against the windows of the studio itself. All this elemental wonder is brought down to Earth courtesy of singer Katie Ball, whose eerie, steady vocals resemble standing in the eye of a storm—watching pure chaos unfold in 360 degrees while maintaining a sense of calm.
Handpicked by The Cure to support them on tour, the Irish noiseniks reach for a danceable euphoria on album number three
Taking their specialised ludicrous, gothic soundplay and upping the ante, Just Mustard's We Were Just Here emboldens their ear for melody and measured control of the chaos.
The sensation remains a mix of dread and beauty, but the delivery is different: forward motion instead of a slow dissolve.
Still disorientating yet more alive than ever, WE WERE JUST HERE is a bold third album from Just Mustard that deftly pairs darkness with light.
In Just Mustard’s music video for ‘POLLYANNA’, Katie Ball stares into a series of security cameras, challenging the viewer with an upwards glare. She