New York art-punk outfit BODEGA are no stranger to the creative world. Founding members Nik E Iki and Ben Hozie formed in 2016, and have seen a meteoric rise since then. The pair also double as filmmakers and artists, and as well as helming their own music videos and art direction, they earned acclaim for their 2020 erotic drama film PVT Chat. After hitting pause following the release of the film, the duo returned with new members Tai Lee, Adam See, and Dan Ryan, to forge a new path in 2022.
‘Statuette on the Console’ launches into Strokes-esque guitar lines, and a melody that calls back to the early 2000s indie-boom. As the song progresses, and singer Nik E Iki begins with the line “I never was born with God”, the true punk aesthetics start to take form. There’s a 70s feel to the production here that feels equal parts retro as it does special. Some elements call Joy Division to mind, while the solo in the middle eight harkens back to earlier bands such as Gang of Four, and even The Clash.
The band have described their upcoming album Broken Equipment as an attempt to interrogate the external factors that make them who they are with tongue-in-cheek humour, highly personal lyrics, and irresistible grooves. If this latest single from them doesn’t whet your appetite for what they have to offer, then nothing will. It’s a quick, blistering masterclass in classic punk rock, with a melody that will be stuck in your head for hours after listening.
Words: Ryan Bulbeck // Photo: Pooneh Ghana
‘Statuette on the Console’ is out now, taken from forthcoming album ‘Broken Equipment’, out on March 11th via What’s Your Rupture? Stream the track and pre-order the album via Bandcamp.