Max Rael’s debut single ‘Brighter Future’ pushed the alternative envelope by applying spoken word passages to bleak sounding synth backdrops, creating an almost dystopian musical landscape. The number’s darker side was effectively offset by the History of Guns man offering listeners a positive lyric, where he suggested we can look to the past and learn from mistakes to forge a brighter future. Issued at a time when the world seemed incredibly negative with seemingly little escape from a political turmoil, Rael’s optimism – no matter how obtusely applied – offered fans of less mainstream music a small beacon of hope.
Those who connected with ‘Brighter Future’ will consider investing listening time in ‘Slightly Less Than Human’ to be a relative no-brainer. Whilst Rael employs many of the same musical staples from before, the track feels substantially different enough to stand alone as a great listen. Opening with a wall of strident beats, the number immediately evokes a couple of 80s classics from New Order and Pet Shop Boys, before Rael introduces a deep, parping synth counterpoint that takes the upbeat rhythm somewhere a little more unsettling. His spoken vocals take on the same pleasingly flat delivery as his debut, with the performer exploring the feelings of his diagnosis of autism well into adulthood, frankly expressing how he “spent a long time trying to pretend” and how “mostly he can pass” when it comes to navigating a social situation. It’s a great example of how a thoughtful lyric needn’t be complex. This hits hard, and is guaranteed to resonate with those who are neuro diverse. For those really not into messages, the music moves from strength to strength, with the layers of synth shifting from rigid sounds set against swooping blankets of noise, into a pop-ish passage that sounds like Landscape in a very bad mood, hitting the listener with a circular riff constructed of hard bleeps, then ultimately mixing the two to create a very rhythmic climax that’s deliberately cold at the point where Rael hits the audience with a rather frank pay off line. It’s a huge step up from ‘Brighter Future’ without feeling too much more commercial and, in its own way, the perfect choice for a single advertising Rael’s full length release.
The non album track ‘When The Only Winning Move Is Not To Play’ makes a really interesting counterpoint from a musical perspective. It’s clear from the outset that things are less musical here, when slow beats are intercut with strange, grinding noises. Even when a semi-gothic piano line underscores the hard rhythm, things remain uneasy, but this in itself is perfect for Rael’s message that rallies against petty arguments and how sometimes people who are wrong are desperate for something to prove. In tandem with the less melodic backdrop, the spoken vocal takes on an even bleaker feel, but those with a more adventurous ear will continue to find this interesting. With the rhythm shattered midway thanks to a brief and rather frightening industrial clatter, it initially feels like the track will never find its way back, but the second half focuses a little more on a loud, string-like melody that revisits the dark side of the eighties. This, over time, sells a rather obtuse track, and definitely draws the listener further into Max’s very personal vision.
‘Brighter Future’ more than hinted that Rael had some very interesting ideas up his sleeve, but even just on a musical level, ‘Slightly Less Than Human’ more than confirms that. This pairing of very different tracks – one sounding upbeat, the other more mechanical – takes the listener into a world of electronica that’s perhaps a little starker than most, but for those who’ve previously found a way into the performer’s soundscapes, both should provide a very rewarding listen.
June 2025