Arising from the eerie hum of unknown machines, Brian Case’s cover of Ship Building taps into the electronic terror of the early 80s. It’s a cover from an alternate timeline where Elvis Costello gave the song to Throbbing Gristle rather than Robert Wyatt. Of course in this timeline TG were fronted by Alan Vega as Genesis was busy being Postmaster General, but I digress.
Case’s version is relentless, built on a thudding drum pattern, distant explosions and the electronic hum that most approximates a fly sparing with an electric light. It’s Industrial in the same way that Eraserhead’s soundtrack is Industrial. It’s the surreal madness of machines that’s captured not their percussive energy. Which is fitting given the conflict and melancholy of its subject matter.
Ship Building is taken from Brian Case’s new album Spirit Design. It’s out on 25th August and you can pre-order it (and potentially get it early) right here.