bas jan – baby u know

With the saturation of the art pop-punk scene, it is difficult for bands like Bas Jan to sustain peculiarity; punk cannot submit to formulas to be classed as such. On their second LP, Bas Jan lay down an experimental sound that is at once self-aware and humorous. When realised, ‘Baby U Know’ is as compelling as anything else on the scene. It speaks to human obsession and fragility by looking inwards rather than outwardly judging. In its more turbulent moments, this record can feel theatrical and ostentatious, even though the better tracks do rationalise the approach. All said, ‘Baby U Know’ is a sound still being formed—intelligent and acerbic, but fragmentary.

21/30

A favourite: ‘Sex Cult’

‘Baby U Know’ is out now via @lostmaprecords