New HEALTH 7": "Die Slow" Underscores the Hidden Power of Rave Sounds

The e-tards understood something that many of us long forget in the haze of the rave life: that freaky dumb synthesized noises played at full volume and with great intensity SOUND REALLY AMAZING.

HEALTH is an all-cap band from LA who released one of our favorite west coast records of last year, a self-titled pounding din of energy that mixed electronics with heavy duty grind and electrifying stage presence. The band's remix CD, HEALTH/DISCO then one-upped the original, and served as a kind of portent. The band revealed itself to be open to grand, extreme reworkings, and it became increasingly apparent that each sound was placed into songs not just because it worked within the context, but also because, sonically, the blurt or burst or thump or bump felt like something remixers could have fun with.

So the new HEALTH single is out today on Lovepump Unlimited. It's called "Die Slow," and is a really great track that further refines the direction the band may be headed. It's hard, it's freaky, it's got a HUGE beat, and makes amazing use of weirdo sounds to create a structured mess. Best of all? RAVE NOISES! Slowed down. Fucked with. Glorified.

Stream it here. We're pestering to get an MP3, and will let you know if we do. But it might be a good idea to go ahead and spend the two bucks at iTunes or where ever for the two songs -- the other being a remix by PicturePlane. That track is a whole different animal, much prettier, much more textural. Don't know much about Pictureplane except they also did a killer version of Crystal Castles' "Air War," which you can see below.