Tacoma, Washington based Justin R. Cruz Gallego started releasing solo material under the name J.R.C.G. a few years ago, but the musician has also been a part of noise rock band Dreamdecay since the early 2010’s. Where Dreamdecay explored post punk, no wave, and other elements with a noise rock foundation, Gallego opted for a very different sound with his solo work. The first J.R.C.G release, Wash OST went for a minimal synth approach, while Ajo Sunshine (released only a few months later) explored a more psychedelic rock and electronic fusion. Three years after this pair of releases, J.R.C.G. returns with Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra) and the project’s sound has been blown completely open. There remains elements of noise rock, punk, and psychedelic rock, but you’ll also hear Latin rhythms, sparser soundscapes, and even some booming electronic passages that recall video game OST’s. It’s both chaotic and serene depending on what point at the album you’re on, and the fusion of genres comes together to form something that sounds genuinely different.
Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra) does a great job of being catchy yet also having a lot of nuances for the listener to discover, and the fact that it remains approachable even during some of its noisiest moments is a testament to Gallego’s abilities as a songwriter. The early cut “Dogear” is a perfect example of this, as it has an immediately catchy rhythm and drum cadence that has an almost machinelike precision to it. This repetitive cadence is used to create a natural push and pull over the course of five minutes, as layers of psychedelic leaning melodies are added in and taken away, creating a warm and inviting tone that still has some slightly rougher edges. But give it a few more listens and the noisier tones of the horn work around the two-minute mark begins to jump out more, along with some of the eerier synths. Each of the nine tracks uses a similar type of push and pull but in very different ways, and it’s exciting to hear just how many musical styles J.R.C.G. seamlessly fuses in the process. Whether it’s the Latin rhythms and funk leaning of “34” that give way to noisier freak-outs or the garage rock and punk slant of “Cholla Beat” that fades out into a softer dreamscape, the textures always feel different and find ways to keep you intrigued from start to finish. The run from “Drummy” to “Party People (Heaven)” is absolutely incredible, as this is where the material finds its best fusion between the electronic and organic sides of its sound. “Drummy” features more dream-like synth, but once the beats come in the sound is huge and the more playful nature of the rhythms reminds me a bit of earlier Young Magic. “Liv” sprawls out a bit more, spending its first half on more subdued and hazier psychedelic melodies but towards the end Latin rhythms and commanding synth lines give this a much fuller and almost dancehall presence. Oddly enough, it also reminds me a lot of the Einhander OST or other late 90s shmup video game. “Party People (Heaven)” goes for booming synths and an overall moodier sound, once again showcasing how much ground J.R.C.G. can cover. Admittedly closer “World i” runs just a bit long, but as a whole Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra) has so much to offer listeners and its adventurous nature pays off.
There’s a lot happening on the instrumental side and that will inevitably steal your focus on the first time through, but as you spend more time with Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra) it becomes clear that the vocal work is just as diverse. Intro “Grim Iconic” has much softer and ethereal singing along with some auto-tuned/manipulated ranges that seem to blur together with the noisier instrumentation, but by the time “34” kicks in things have shifted over to a reverb heavy and hazier psych rock pitch. Sometimes Gallego’s voice purposefully gets washed out in the layers of sound, making it come across like he’s just barely drifting above them, but other moments make them much more prominent. Combine that with the various electronic manipulation and the odd sample or two, and there are just as many unexpected details to the singing to uncover. The vocals aren’t always a focal point, instead coming through as an extension of the instrumentation, but they serve their purpose well and contribute to J.R.C.G.’s unique qualities.
A few of the longer tracks feel slightly overstretched, but this is a minor nitpick on what is an otherwise incredible album. J.R.C.G. can’t be pinned down to one or two genres, as not only are traces of his noise rock past and psychedelic leanings of Ajo Sunshine still present but the myriad of electronic and Latin flavors come together to form something genuinely different. Considering how much is happening and the noisier bursts, the material’s also very approachable and catchy thanks to its rhythmic foundation, ensuring a wide audience should be able to appreciate what Galego has done here. Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra) is available from Sub Pop Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg