On What’s This? CS Cleaners deliver 11 tracks of warped, day-glow egg punk that lash out at the absurdity of contemporary living. The band is influenced by NYC downtown music from CBGB’s first diverse wave through no-wave’s mutations and deconstructions. But while CS Cleaners might have a sound rooted in music that can be severe at times, they are by no means taking themselves seriously: What’s This? is dance music first and foremost albeit a form wild enough for these extreme times.The characters portrayed on What’s This? are often caught in moments of self-doubt and panic. Like the narcissist musician on advanced single “Come & Go” who is freaking out about losing the limelight. Ben Petrosor’s delivers pathos within lines like, “if I swallow my pride, I’ll split in two,” that conveys a sympathy far an unlikable character in a relatable situation. We witness a variety of such panic attacks on What’s This? They spring from the social media surveillance state, the pressures of living in an increasingly hostile city and of course from being stretched to thin.
