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Biography
Having met each other in 2004, whilst studying at art school in Bristol, the pair began to work together, at first to score a film that Hung was working on. However, the pair took a lot of pride in what they were writing and tried it out at a few gigs, only to find themselves building a cult following. They used some questionable instruments such as Casiotone keyboard and Fisher-Price karaoke machines. They caught the attention of Time Out magazine, who gave the duo a raving review, referring to their sound as an “adrenaline pumping and ear purging slab of towering, pristine noise”. They signed to ATP Recordings in 2007 to later release a 7” single entitled “Bright Tomorrow” which gained a handful of critical acclaim. The song became number 1 on the Mojo Playlist Single for that month. They were featured in the British newspaper, The Observer, which referred to their sound as “a joyous racket of swirling atmospherics and percussive gunfire”.
The duo began 2008 with a tour of some of UK’s medium sized venues, creating hype for their debut album “Street Horrrsing”, which was later released on Match 17th 2008. It was named ‘Underground Album of the Month” by Mojo Magazine, and Pitchfork awarded it 8.6 out of 10. They received positive reviews from other platforms such as NME, Rock Sound and Kerrang! and was also shortlisted in The Guardian’s First Album awards.
The duo made an appearance at the ATP event, and released their second album “Tarot Sport” in October 2009. The album earned an 8 out of 10 from Rock Sound, due to the album being consistent. They released their third album “Slow Focus” on July 22nd 2013.
Live reviews
Noise. Endless waves of unabated noise....that’s basically what you get at a Fuck Buttons show.
Since their 2008 debut Street Horrrsing Andrew Hung and Benjamin John Power have been experimenting at the boundaries and borders of sound, refusing to compromise from that point right up to their most recent record Slow Focus...which makes it all the more surprising that their mix of dance, drone and noise was used during the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony (well, they do have a track called ‘Olympians’ I suppose). To see Fuck Buttons live is to understand the effort that goes into what, on the face of it, seems like fairly minimal music. Hung and Power face each other across two desks littered with electronics, toys, computers and enough cable to go around the world twice. The duo twitch and bounce along to the music, deep in the zone and this trance is only punctuated by Hung’s crazed yelps into the microphone on tracks like ‘Brainfreeze’, only adding another layer to this intense music. It’s ‘Surf Solar’ where the band reaches their apex of noise through repetition – and it feels like a series of punches to the gut...but in a good way, y’know? Underneath the fuzz and static you’ll also find some brilliant techno music, typified by the lovely melody that runs through ‘Space Mountain’ – yes, it might not be the most instant of music but a Fuck Buttons show is one you have to let work on you, and if you do then there will rich rewards at the end of it.
AndyHannah
