Primeval Genius preps ‘Machinist in the Underworld’ LP
Long-running experimental imprint returns with Laura Jean Housley’s debut LP
This week, Suitcase Recordings released the debut LP by Primeval Genius, the synth-driven goth-wave project helmed by Laura Jean Housley. Issued in an edition of 300 blue vinyl records, Machinist in the Underworld hosts 11 tracks of retro goth and industrial pop that’s spiritually akin to Skinny Puppy or Death in June, but aligned with modern musicians such as Zola Jesus and LA Vampires. The above video for “Horns of a Ram” is the first taste of the album’s lo-fi, dirge-laden pop, mixing esoteric imagery, a defective drum machine beat, and a guitar melody reminiscent of the Sisters of Mercy or the Cure.
The arrival of Primeval Genius’ debut also marks the end of a two-year hiatus for Suitcase Recordings, thus initiating what the label describes as a “new era.” Machinist in the Underworld is out now.