Nearly ten years after Alan Vega’s passing comes Insurrection, a compilation of unreleased music by the beloved Suicide vocalist. “Mercy,” Vega’s newest single, sees the no wave pioneer in rare form. Gone are the synths and guitars that had previously defined his work; instead, “Mercy” consists of nothing more than a stiff upright bass loop and the occasional intrusion of a disorienting industrial rhythm.
While Vega is no stranger to simple, repetitive instrumentals, there’s something about the juxtaposition of upright bass and distorted, whirring drums that makes this piece one of the more difficult entries in Vega’s avant-garde discography. Of course, it wouldn’t be an Alan Vega song without his trademark bluesy vocals, which are here in spades moaning, yelping, and echoing without reason across the rigid sonic landscape, another juxtaposition that makes this song just that much more abrasive.
The single comes with a music video directed by Douglas Hart of The Jesus and Mary Chain. It’s a stark collage of strobing black-and-white occasionally splashed in red. In other words, the perfect visual representation of Vega’s ability to breathe life into minimalist loops. You can watch the video for “Mercy” below, and pre-save Insurrection here.