Nailing a perfect mix of energy, melody and aggression, Flash occupy a rare and wonderful place. They bring the jittery angst of The Buzzcocks or The Marked Men together with tough, raspy hardcore and unify it all with washes of weirdo, Devo-damaged synth. The thin, strung-out sound scythes straight to the brain, but there’s also a gurgly, waterlogged quality to proceedings that’s as comforting as a tape you’ve played far too many times. Tracks like ‘Saco De Arena’ are flat-out shitkickers, while the ringing, plangent notes and undercurrent of pure desperation that run through closer ‘Querido Punk’ suggest something deeper than pure argy bargy. Finish it all off with a brilliant, distinctive sleeve and you’ve got a contender for the punk rock record of the year, no doubt about it.
