It feels like just yesterday that we were all hanging out over here and talking about the obscenely gorgeous new Voidz track “Leave It In My Dreams,” doesn’t it? That song is just pure bliss — I think we agreed on that point — a classic Jules joint with an even nicer slur than he ever showed off in his other band. “Dreams” is also a pretty distinct shift from the first Voidz disc, 2015’s Tyranny, which was (putting this delicately) perhaps not our man’s finest hour — I think we disagreed on that point — but unquestionably his WEIRDEST hour.

I mean, until today. You legitimately gotta admire the dude for immediately chasing “Dreams” with “QYURRYUS,” because if nothing else, it proves he is fucking fearless, utterly indifferent to any opinions except his own, and has no issue decking you so hard your skull bounces right back up off the sidewalk. (Incidentally, these cuts are sequenced 1-2 on the LP, too, if Genius has its facts straight, so he is not just accidentally causing you to suffer this severe cognitive dissonance. It is 100% intentional.)

To my ear, “QYURRYUS” is the weirdest song Julian Casablancas has ever released, and one of the weirdest songs I have ever heard, although maybe the third-weirdest of the five songs I have heard off the Voidz’ upcoming 15-track full-length, Virtue. I have never witnessed these particular sounds combined in these particular ways, and my mind reels wondering how — and more importantly why — anybody would combine these particular sounds in these particular ways. WHAT THE FUCK EVEN ARE THESE INFLUENCES? I hear some “She Blinded Me With Science” (or Falco?), some 808s & Heartbreak (or T-Pain?), some Tim Curry in Rocky Horror (or Count Chocula?)… But I could be a couple degrees off with all those comps, and really, I’m not even scratching the surface. What’s going on with the verses? Is he singing in German? Some other Teutonic language? Or is he singing in English but affecting an intense and ridiculous German accent, obscuring his English-language lyrics to the point of making them totally unintelligible? No idea. This thing is such a wild ride! I don’t even have words, because… man, I actually just start laughing sometimes when I hear this song — and sometimes even when I just think about this song. On the real, though: I’m laughing with the Voidz, not at ‘em. I don’t know if I enjoy “QYURRYUS,” but I definitely love it. Will you love it? Guys, I have absolutely no clue whatsoever what you will make of this. NO CLUE. I only know that yesterday will suddenly seem like a long-ass time ago once you’ve listened. So listen.

Virtues is out 3/30 via RCA.

UPDATE: The Voidz just dropped a video for “QYURRYUS” and I would say it makes for a pretty strong (or at least appropriate) visual accompaniment to the music, i.e., it is an absolutely unapologetic retro fever dream/hallucination engine. I didn’t check this but I also think it’s in a 4:3 Aspect Ratio or whatever your TV screen would have been in 1983 for additional verisimilitude. Dig!