The C.I.A. have shared their second unhinged, biting new single ‘Inhale Exhale’. Their forthcoming album, ‘Surgery Channel’, is ripe with straightforward conviction.

The trio made up of Denée & Ty Segall and Emmett Kelly have constructed a world where everything is piercing and pinpointed. Every word brings confrontation – The C.I.A. make you question what could be happening here…or what they’re after. Denée (vocals, lyrics) is both haunting and seducing us at once with her voice over precise sonics, amplified by the suspense of tick-tocking drum machine beats. Ty (bass, percussion, back up vocals) and Emmett (bass, synth, back up vocals) paint a jarring and dissonant landscape behind Denée’s story. Words are rhythm at The C.I.A. is communicating from an electrified, pulsating, metallic playpen that wants you to strut. ‘Surgery Channel’ shows punks a new way to move while remaining loyal to the traditions of catharsis and social commentary. Ty and Emmett’s basses could easily be swapped for bone drills and you might not be able to tell the difference. Emmett’s modular synth envisions an environment reminiscent of the instrument itself, a mess of wires and pulsing red lights. Ty’s subtle use of electronic and analog percussion fluctuates between the sound of a metal tray hitting the floor, and the swish of an ultrasound scan. At times, it projects the feeling of being probed and investigated. You could assume this reality has been lived by those at The C.I.A., though most listeners could only fear it. So… just how little of this portrayal is solely a work of imagination? ‘Surgery Channel’ is an astute observation and blunt critique. Both inward and outward. It is an exploration into how harshly intimate that process can be. The album was written in 2021 and was recorded by Mike Kriebel at Segall’s own Harmonizer Studios. The album sees its release January 20, 2023 via In The Red on vinyl and across all digital platforms. The C.I.A. have confirmed their first round of live dates, performing ‘Surgery Channel’ in the flesh. They play Zebulon in Los Angeles in January and hit Portland, Seattle, NYC and Chicago in late March. See below for a full list of dates.
 
Jan 05: Los Angeles, CA – Zebulon
Mar 23: Portland, OR – Star Theater
Mar 24: Seattle, WA – Barboza
Mar 26: Ridgewood, NY – TV Eye
Mar 28: Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle

‘Surgery Channel’ Tracklisting:

1 – Introduction
2 – Better
3 – Inhale Exhale
4 – Impersonator
5 – Surgery Channel Pt. I
6 – Surgery Channel Pt. II
7 – Bubble
8 – You Can Be Here
9 – The Wait
10 – Construct
11 – Under
12 – Over

Photo by Joshua Erkman