Double Helix - Rat Rave

Formed in July 2021, London duo Double Helix have been developing as a word-of-mouth sensation over the capital with their visceral merging of underground punk energy and the unifying rave subculture of the 90’s. Built on a gargantuan electronic sound that falls somewhere between the acid psychedelia of Prodigy or Leftfield and the darker industrial tones of Nine Inch Nails or Boy Harsher, the duo caught the attention of Slow Dance Records at their first show back in late July 2021 (The Windmill, Brixton) and were asked to contribute a track to the labels 21’ compilation. Mesmeric debut single ‘Rat Rave’ is a mantra for the unconventional raver set against a background of caustic electronica. Pitting the iconic sound of the Roland 303 against jittery, pulsating rhythms, the unrelenting five minutes culminates in an uninhibited synthetic trance fused with mechanical vocals meditating the phrase “Pain, Figure, Pressure, Obey”. Thematically they explain the accompanying music video: “We wanted to create this inverted, surreal world where the juxtaposition of pain and euphoria are represented by shifts in colour. The girl in the video is an artist we know who has a hidden disability and crafts these resin sculptures from packaging of pain medication she takes. She is also a badass party goer despite this, which inspired us to feature her along with the sculptures and create this solitary, stylised day in the life of our friend.” There’s also a striking DIY visual aesthetic to compliment the balearic synths, with the duo curating their own photography, art direction and live visuals for each show, along with shooting and editing their music videos, combining many idiosyncratic ideas into one uncompromising vision. Double Helix comprises Patrick Smith (Synths, Programming, Vocals), Kim Engelhardt (Bass Guitar), and joined by drummer James Allix (Tigercub) for live shows. The debut single ‘Rat Rave’ is out on January 25th via Slow Dance Records and was self-produced by Double Helix, mixed and mastered by Alastair Batchelor."