MP3: Cortex - Animals (...looking at me)
As I've been saying, one of my main missions while in Sweden was to acquire old vinyl I wouldn't be able to find anywhere else, primarily Swedish postpunk from the 80s. The one act at the very top of my list: Cortex. For those already in the know, Cortex vinyl is rare and highly desirable, so I didn't have much luck, but I did score a copy of their final release, the "Animals (...looking at me)" 7" so I didn't have to come home completely empty handed. It's a killer record too, a claustrophobic, paranoid chant over stomping distorted drums and wailing guitar. Also note the particularly strong Freddie Krüger influence (he is credited for "useful inspiration"). As for the b-side "Tears in the rain", well, it's a ballad and it's pretty good, but it's definitely a b-side. It points more in the direction that Freddie Wadling was heading, not so much where he came from (goth/punk). Still though, without a doubt, one of Sweden's best artists. Well worth the money I paid for it, now I just need to score a copy of "Spinal injuries"...
Cortex - Animals (...looking at me)