Def Nettle conjure a dancefloor exorcism on new single 'Trauma Removal Machine'

'Trauma Removal Machine' takes the idea of music as therapy and gives it a suitably strange, physical form. As the latest single from Irish punk-funk outfit Def Nettle, it turns emotional release into something mechanical and almost cosmic, imagining sound itself as a device capable of processing pain, confusion and whatever else has accumulated along the way.

Def Nettle pull from new wave, post-punk, indie dance and funk without allowing the track to settle comfortably into any one of them. Pulsating analogue synths, thumping drums and disco-rock bass give the song its momentum, while Glen Brady's guitar work adds sharpness and lift around the edges.

His own raspy baritone remains central, delivering a sardonic quality to his delivery that stops the song's spiritual and therapeutic themes from becoming overly earnest. While Lisa Doyle's rhythmic vocal contribution brings a questioning counterpoint that gives the track extra movement.

There are echoes of 80s post-punk and new wave in the production, but the rhythm section keeps the song more physical than nostalgic. Damien Fox's drums and Ely Siegel's bass push forward with enough force to make the track feel immediate, while the synths open up a more expansive, almost surreal atmosphere around them.

Following recent offerings 'Mohawk', 'The Party' and 'Valediction', the single also feels like another step in Def Nettle's increasingly flexible approach to genre. And 'Trauma Removal Machine' works because it turns emotional processing into motion: part catharsis, part satire and part dancefloor release.

Here, Def Nettle make healing sound weird, sweaty and unexpectedly fun.