The offer of a disco-dub cover of Nine Inch Nails? I’d bite your hand off… Following the acclaimed punk-funk & new wave of this year’s album ‘shapes & colors’, Oakland duo abracadabra switch gears for a tripped-out cover of the hand that feeds, ahead of their debut European headline tour this November.

As self-confessed music nerds it seemed apt to Hannah Skelton & Chris Niles to tackle a song that on the face of it seems far away from their own musical universe. Nine Inch Nails’ throbbing noise-rock is on paper a distance from the technicolour synths of the bands first two records, but there’s a shared affinity for the rhythm section and a political undertone to the lyrics lurking beneath both bands music, as the duo note:

Lyrically, ‘the hand that feeds’ really resonates with us. Right now one of the brightest lights seems to come from watching the way the working class is pushing back against the status quo through strikes and unionising. Drawn to that light, we felt compelled to echo those words and sentiments by way of this song – whether or not it was Trent’s intended message.

Recorded at home & then dubbed-out in the studio with long-time co-producer Jason Kick, adding in a soaked-out yard-sale recorder, the hand that feeds is as grubby and dubby as the original. Skelton’s vocals float above while Niles’ bass provides the same relentless grooves that made ‘shapes & colors’ so enthralling.

After their first trip to UK shores in March to support weirdo-pop kindred spirits The Go! Team, abracadabra bring their wonky & wonderful live show back for a headline tour, making their debut foray into mainland Europe as they go. the hand that feeds is out now, and will be joined by an extended dub mix of Swim, previously only available on a ltd flexi disc, on 14th November

abracadabra European tour 2023

24th November – Explore The North, Leeuwarden
25th November – Water Moulin, Tournai
26th November – Prince Albert, Brighton
27th November – Gullivers, Manchester
28th November – Shacklewell Arms, London
29th November – Supersonic, Paris
1st December – Festival Facez, Geneva
2nd December – Karlsruh, Kohi
4th December – Schokoladen, Berlin
7th December – Conne Island, Leipzig
8th December – Merlin, Stuttgart