J.R.C.G. : Grim Iconic…(Sadistic Mantra)

Justin R. Cruz Gallego, aka Tacoma-based musician known as J.R.C.G. defies a tag to any sort of genre. Listening to his Sub Pop debut Grim Iconic…(Sadistic Mantra) you’re hit in the chest with serious rhythmic and groove intentions. He locks into his Latin roots and lays down some seriously heady percussive trips, but on top of that he layers chaos with synthesizers, guitars, bass, and his vocals. The vocals go from screaming into the void to melodic trips.

You haven’t heard anything quite like this.

Grim Iconic…(Sadistic Mantra) is a noisy and singular musical trip that hits everything from Krautrock, post-punk, experimental, and world music. Gallego then throws them all into a blender, hits “eviscerate”, and then adds a helping of psychedelia for good measure.

The album opens on the electrified “Grim Iconic”, a short instrumental that leads us into “34”. “34” lays down a heavy groove which Gallego sings over in robotic tones. The song blows up in abstract sound that is as optimistic as it as alien. “Dogear” keeps the flow going with another beat that pulls you right in. Post-Punk meets 80s alt rock in some back alley and add a touch of electric Miles for good measure.

Touchstones here are bands like Talking Heads, Animal Collective, and Wire. And Gallego’s voice goes from Chuck Mosely pleads to melodic on a dime. This is a record like Remain In Light or Merriweather Post Pavilion; albums that weren’t easy to define or pigeon hole. Game changing records.

From the epic touches of “Drummy” to the proggy “Liv” to the OPN synth skronk of “Party People(Heaven)” J.R.C.G. leaves no sonic stone unturned. It all leads up to the excellent closer “World i”, a song that combines the funky, 70s-adjacent grooves of The Budos Band with spaced-out synths and the headiness of WAR. It’s one hell of a closer.

J.R.C.G.’s Grim Iconic…(Sadistic Mantra) is truly an original work. Pulling from all corners of the musical world, Justin Gallego has made a stunning record that moves the listener with infectious rhythms layered in jagged sound, experimental glee, and truly original songs. We’ll be talking about this record for a long time.