Izioq "Hey Listen!" (2018)

Within the space of a week we have been graced with two new, short but sweet Izioq records! Late Night Golfing ventured into the spacey, nostalgic world of vaporware and the cutely named Hey Listen! brings us back to familiar territory. Its another selection of warm, fuzzy and carefree songs arriving here, set to relax and wind us down with colorful melodies that breeze through fields of innocence. Much of this record hits on the familiar childhood feels, the mixing of retro textured Chiptune VGM instruments and soft synths with warm piano melodies is as vibrant and characteristic as ever. Another round of youthful and spirited songs play us through the wonders of imagination, Its much of what Ive said before that applies again and so its probably unsurprising that my focus turns to the moments of difference.

The title track erupts with some spice as Latino guitars bustle warm cultural chords, somehow mixing right in with splashes of sound that introduce bright, cheerful melodies on chirpy waveform instruments, the chemistry is wonderful and unexpected. Hermits gets a nod for its wonderfully quirky opening tune that swiftly finds its way into a warm and spirited place as the music so often does, its opening goof diverting expectations. The Album will perk ears with a sampling of Lisa Simpsons voice, the song itself slow and dreamy, drifting in a precarious, slightly dreary but free of danger atmosphere. The final track Happy Meal sounds almost like another project altogether, its deep and rich atmosphere pulling on emotional strings similar to the likes of Sigur Ros, its welcome but feels like a different avenue of mood. All in all its another fine collections of melodies with a couple of sparks from rewarding experimentation.

Favorite Tracks: Hey Listen!, Hermits

Rating: 5/10

Izioq "Late Night Golfing" (2018)

Coming in just shy of sixteen minutes we have a new, short and concise release from Izioq, the French composer of fun, playful music that ties itself closely to video game music and 90s childhood nostalgia. Late Night Golfing is the first album to experiment beyond the traditional style Izioq has established, with clear and obvious Vapourwave vibes which are also echoed in the albums cover. Its saturated colors and 90s computer rendering art being in tune with the genres practices, as well as the music itself.

It doesn't however feel like much of an experimentation, the tone and atmosphere feels settled and established with the Vapourwave aesthetic from the get go, however that doesn't start until the third song. The first two feel like the link between records as lead melodies play out inspiring, innocent tunes over soft, airy, floating synth tones, much like you would expect. With Golf! the record kicks into gear, the melodies dwindle down to simpler forms and the atmosphere of warm and wavy cloud synths take over in a meditative persuasion.

For these five songs a simple set of instruments and light reverberated percussion shift on simple A B structures. The compositions capture that airy, carefree and indulgent mood and they inhabit a sweet spot to drift into as the repetition drones in comfort. The last track has some strong Brian Eno vibes and the whole thing is simply pleasant and easy on the listener, its only downfall is perhaps the lack of time spent in this curious, easy going place. At just sixteen minutes each listen requires a repeat!

Favorite Tracks:

Rating: 4/10

Ixion "Return" (2017)

The slow burly jaunt of burgeoning gloom that is Doom Metal is both a charm and curse, often undoing the grasp on my attention in its prolonging of halting moments. With a luscious chemistry of thick, cushioning distortion guitars and light airy synths, Ixion paint a vivid pallet of soft and serene climates insulated within the void of space they theme their music around. Hailing from Brittany France, this is the bands third full length, continuing on a trajectory to polish their already smooth, inviting tone which is comparatively a little stiff and low-fi on the past two compared to the gorgeous production encapsulated in these forty four minutes.

A range of elegant pianos and synthesized sounds compliment the slow, bleeding melodies the guitars as the drums steadily drone out in a lethargic stride. With a plummeting scope of pace there are brief musters of fire with relaxed blast beats but its mostly a temperate stroll, descending into frequent disperses of crawls that have the kicks and cymbals of the drummer sound like a stranger in the distance. Its the backbone of the music, with almost all melodies unfolding in tandem with the drums.

Its mood lingers on sorrow, teetering on the void yet never plunging in. Its an interesting tone for music that so easily lets its self slip away. With moments of uplift and emergence of gleaming melodies, Return rests in a precarious place trapped between the void of black and gaze of heavens light as beautiful, serene melodies hold back the frozen pace from freezing over. Its a marvelous record I have great appreciation for if not a little disappointed in how the pacing so often losses my attention, otherwise its an inspired execution of ideas.

Favorite Songs: Into Her Light, Contact, The Dive

Rating: 7/10

Blut Aus Nord "Deus Salutis Meæ" (2017)

Harrowing, sinister and damn right ugly, the flailing torment of souls arrives in audio torture form as the damned "Blut Aus Nord" arise once again from the depths with another hellish installment in their derivative hybrid of Black Metal and Industrial. Taking on a new savagery, the French outfit assault the senses with nonsensical, bizarre guitar work that sacrifices melody to madness in a highly ambitious project one can tire from in its unsettling perpetual darkness. Its a big shift in sound given the last album was the third chapter in their Memoria Vetusta series, a comparatively "brighter" sound rooted in more traditional style. Here we see the group twist the nails for another stab at satanic absurdity.

The record kicks off with a frontal aesthetic experience, squeezing its texture into dimensions that feel oddly expansive and yet narrow as a diminished guitar distortion chugs a single note groove that feels massive within its distant, meaty bass rumble. It stretches back and forth, surrounded by thin synths, the rattling clatter of devious drums, nefarious gargling screams and ritualistic chats of corrupt worship passing by, poise the atmosphere in a temperate position for which it can choose to go.

If any sense of potential groove, or traditional Metal was lurking the following "Impius" hurtles us into the cacophony of heinous demonic noise as the utter agony of guitar screeching sludge is swarmed and strangled by abhorrent voices, vile screams roaring from the abyss and the wicked screeches of odious witches. They assault with a vivid flavor fit for the worst horror scenes and beyond your imagination. Its a truly frighting sound, the tapestry of nightmares. This wretched dissonance of discord dances on the grave of melody as it takes every opportunity to punish the listener with its unrelenting apatite for blackness. Its inclining of musical coherence, twisted in deviation as the continuous displeasure becomes its focal point.

There are mid-tempo moments, the blast beats do scale back occasionally and on "Abisme" the chants of fallen priests can be heard calling from the depths of hell but in these calmer moments no sense of respite emerges. The atmosphere is anxiety riddled, poised on a bed of blades unable to sleep and that is a "disaster art" unto itself but one that I can only be appreciative of, rather than enthralled by. With musical sensibilities cast to abandon the experience only goes so far before it can feel novelty. After many listens I feel as if its made a mark as a horrid, grotesque experience I'll probably never revisit with any semblance of frequency. As art its utterly fantastic, as part of my musical map I'm not sure it can claim a place.

Rating: 6/10

Erang "The First Age" (2017)

The vast and rapid output of Erang continues, a man with an unwavering inspiration for the vision of his kingdom brings us another installment, the forth this year? Seventeen in total? I'm loosing count but alas, The First Age may suggest a return to roots but his evolution as a composer sounds aroused and fertile on a handful of songs littered among a cast of temperate mood setters. Years of experience have blossomed into a craft for intertwining layers of simple melodies on reverberated instruments that hits home every time, commonplace yet spell bounding in the right mood. The First Age is memorable for its strongest tracks which jump of a track listing that doesn't stick to one direction.

A loose concept of returning is presented with the albums titles and knowledge of the various ages within the kingdom. Album opener "1986" has Erang narrating a diary entry under the downpour of soft rain as an industrious click clack bustles away on the typewriter. As his entry draws to an end a storm erupts, leading us on a retroactive journey, replaying clips and soundbites from past records as we swirl through a portal of sound, ending on the first Erang song "Another World, Another Time".  The concept of returning to the origin is explained but thrown off balance as a couple of tracks, notably the gloomy yet enchanting tones of "All Kings Must Die" & "Everything Is A Lie", deliver the ancient wonder of more traditional Dungeon Synth sounds, both their aesthetics and theme strike close to the classic Trolldom by Lord Lovidicus. Its found again later in the record but Erang's inclination to richer, luscious sounds has the vibes expanding into different crevasse.

"Birth Of A Shadow" hits a ghastly, dark note as graveyard bells ring out over a fog that creeps in as the night falls and we fall witness to harrowing screams and roars emerging from pain over the mischievous chanting of bells. Its cinematic, gripping, the music paints a scene to embellish in, one of his best. Followed by "La Nuit Noir" we change direction with another wave of inspiration as a stunning piano piece cries out its burden of mortal agony on crimson chords. Its lead hand far more developed than usual, given fluidity to break to conventional loops that dominate the music.

For me the record is marked by standout tracks, "Escape The Lonely Madman" another that needs mentioning for is slow and grueling of withering dread that collapses into ancient eastern cultural sounds that has one envisioning trade and travelers indulging under the desert stars, the shimmering of fires lighting their midnight engagements. The best of this record seems to be pulling from different sources and I'm not sure how I feel about that, the opening sets it up to be a nostalgic rewind which I didn't feel past a few tracks, on the other hand its an excellent set of songs where Erang continues his progression as an artist, yielding more fruits of the labor than ever. On a final note I just have to say the synth in "Unmasking" very similar to the Concrete Jungles game soundtrack, took me a while to make that connection, very similar synth instrument, had to boot up the game to confirm it.

Favorite Tracks: All Kings Must Die, Escape The Lonely Mountain, Birth Of A Shadow, La Nuit Noire, Unmasking The Dead Oracle.

Rating: 7/10

Dagoba "Black Nova" (2017)

Celebrating twenty years of existance this French Metal band release their seventh full length after a couple of lineup changes leaving only two original band mates. I only know of the group thanks to their 2006 album "What Hell Is About" gaining some tracking within the burgeoning Deathcore scene, it wasn't one I were particularly keen on. Back then they were a hybrid of Groove and Industrial Metal with a sonic approach. A decade later you'd still describe it the same way, however the overall quality of writing and recording has improved substantially. Far better than what I remember of them.

Dagoba's music crawls forward with dark, mechanical atmospheres born of dense, syncopated grooves from thick distortion guitars and punchy drum tones that wage war with hard strikes and rapid blasts alternating with precision. Its a rather flat and monotone approach that rarely extends beyond low end grooves and the rhythmical muting of chords. They are brought to life by the synth and samples which inflict rapid Trance like leads, mechanical industrial noises to detail the spaces and drawn out atmospheric keys for a tonal richness.

Singer and founding member Shawter runs the show with grizzly shouts and burly short screams that are rather commonplace. He brings the band an edge with his clean vocals that have somewhat of a unique character or distinction, however they are only utilized on four tracks. "Inner Sun", the albums opener past the intro, makes fantastic use of this cleaner voice as they break through the noise of Trance synths busying up the metallic intensity. On "Lost Gravity" they stand more so on there own and the guitars cut in and out, its not as favorable.

The group don't pull a lot of wild cards on this record, its all pretty tame and sustainable for a handful of listens. A few good tracks show they are capable of more but ultimately it boils down to being a rather mediocre record built from decent aesthetics and a rock solid production. They do show signs of being able to writing gripping music but only when they break from the onslaught the of distortion guitars and drums battering away to focus on what little melody they offer. Ive enjoyed it a lot these two weeks but bar the one song its not particularly stuck with me.

Favorite Track: Inner Sun

Rating: 5/10

IGORRR "Savage Sinusoid" (2017)

Kicking off with a horrid and vile, throaty scream, Igorrr's manic shouts plunge us into a pummeling groove of crunchy extreme metal distortion riffage accommodated by a textural ravishing of glitched out breakbeat manipulations that grow in intensity and complexity. Its obnoxious, absurd and with the second song, a Baroque harpsichord melody sets the tone for the excepted collision of worlds as a manly sung operatic voice groans with passion, steadily twisting into deviated screams of horror. Its a firm opening for an album that delivers the best I could of hoped for.

Its been five years since "Hallelujah" and the wait seems worthwhile as all that felt hazardous, novelty and experimental has been banished from sight. Perhaps its my accustom to his style or a genuine maturity but this release plays like a full album, a solid listening experience that delivers plenty of satisfying songs lavished in all sorts of bizarre oddities. This time around they feel as if with purpose and direction, rather than a slew of experiments trying to out-weird one another. That was the problem with previous records but this ones had me in the grip of its jaws continually returning for more of its notably more metal oriented pandemonium.

As to be expected gnarly breaks and blasts form a tireless spine perpetually stretched, squeezed, twisted and turned patterns manipulated through pitch, pace and repetition. Its distortion is the ecstasy that fails to work alone. "Robert" for example a breakbeat solo of sorts that only finds its groove in its final moments as more sounds flesh out its feel after a stretch of dizzying manipulations. The best of the percussion comes from the dense tracks where extreme guitar tones grind away alongside equally abrasive synths and noisy buzz saws.

The Baroque, Renaissance counterpart, or whatever you wish to call it, has its heart in operatic vocals and soft, luscious compositions on classical instruments, sampled or original the voices always seem to find their way to darkness. The musics roll in the record is much of its own as Igorrr finds a far better cohesion between the contrasting styles, often transitioning between the two sounds rather that forcing them together. As a result the album flows from chaos to beauty with the occasional collisions arising in between that are far better than anything I remember previously. Aesthetically and idealistically not much has changed but it is the composition and song writing that triumph here for a concise record that fills its forty minutes to the brim with some of his best material to date!

Favorite Tracks: Viande, Probléme D'émotion, Spagetti Forever, Apopathodiaphulatophobia, Au Revoir

Rating: 8/10

Izioq "Music To Play In Your Head" (2017)

Izioq's latest assembly of fantasy, carefree and innocent video game alike music comes to us in two halves, a twenty eight track record split by a four track "Game Jam". Its the sixth full length and the first to potentially aim in a new direction however upon many listens it becomes quite clear that this release is an assortment of ideas and short compositions with no overall objective of theme beyond the usual carefree wonder of childhood Izioq aims to, and succeeds, in capturing with his melodies.

The majority of songs here are instrumental loops with several variations of melody from the lead. None of the songs surpass three minutes and tend to linger around ninety seconds. As a result there is very little progression or musical events at hand but rather moments of atmosphere captured by a small ensemble of luscious lullaby sounds to indulge with. In its first half we have more of the traditional style at work however strong influences of Nobuo Uematsu can be heard in a handful of places, to much delight of course. The middle "Game Jam" section is where the experimentation starts. Quirkier sounds and samples come into play, sequenced drums adjoin and beyond it the second half loosens up with songs like "Chop Chop" bringing a Jazz Hop vibe thanks to a sampled beat and "Organ Doctor" goofs around with a fast thudding baselines and quirky electronic melodies on top.

This second half looses me somewhat as the tracks tend to jump around from one to the next, the instruments, tone and vibes shuffle from one song to the next, dispelling atmosphere. As an album experience this doesn't amount to much more than a snug collection of compositions however the first half does have a lot more consistency that flows well. I hope this experimentation can lead to a more cohesive direction for Izioq as there are many interesting ideas on display here.

Favorite Tracks: Unagi Loneliness, Lost Marbles, Mare E Sole, Past Is Serious, Organ Doctor

Rating: 5/10

Erang "Songs Of Scars" (2017)

The unwavering inspiration and output from our beloved French musician Erang strides onwards! After King Of Nothing reunited us with the land of five seasons, Songs Of Scars returns to the mysterious Sci-Fi dystopian realm of Anti-Future. Its presentation, a striking front, sets the tone. The eerie gaunt corpse painted skull featured in much of Erang's artwork stares us face on. The bold red font illicits the danger that lurks, the subtitles set the stage for a soundtrack of freight.

Where Anti-Future stepped into new territory, Songs Of Scars owns it. These deliberate compositions set the perfect tone for your John Carpenter 80s flick. The breeze of suspense, a soft paranoia, the looming of evil and smog of future tech all from the comfort of your sofa. Its a true soundtrack, one that needs no cinema in front of it convey the atmosphere it will soak you in. Each song a master stroke of tone to illuminate the never ending nightfall in which our adventures will play out.

Aesthetics is king and with a touch of minimalism and measure of balance our synthetic instruments, buzz saws, sine waves, bells and strings, swoon in their glossy packaging. With just a few key sounds resonating on one another, the bold, rich textures and gorgeous reverberations dazzle and delight as the songs play simplistic and singular melodies. Chiming notes cast the spell as they play off one another. From gleaming bells of fortune to deep swirling, sweeping synths of despair every song finds its own degree of the chemistry so swiftly established as the record begins to spin, bar the first track.

Despite sections of repetition on reasonable lengths of song, the craft carries the music forward, along with the slow, steady, often bare yet effective snare kick drive. Instead of opting in to key shifts or tempo changes Erang find the opportune moments deliver magic in the form musical unwinding of sensual events with swirly synths dancing without a melody to conjure a vision. This never feels overplayed, in fact the balance across the record feels stunning as these imaginative atmospheres conspicuously lure us through there transitions. From front to back It feels like every opportune moment has been realized yet fed to the listener unknowingly.

Where Anti-Future left me with a lack of event, or teetering for something more, Songs Of Scars fully satisfies. The subtle unfolding of songs in their minimalist exterior fleshes out a journey the atmosphere inspires. There are some favorites that come to mind, on occasions where the drums muster up more energy and the instruments find a colorful melody the tone borders on a form of dark Synthpop. "Street Klowns" takes the cake for its mischievous, quirky sounds, grooving, playful and fitting the mold! It makes a break to the traditional Erang Dungeon Synth sound, linking the ages together. "Metal Magic Madness" also opens this rift between worlds again.

With all this magic at work, I strangely enough find the opening and closing tracks, "1984" and "2084" to be rather underwhelming in comparison to everything else. The intro a bit to energetic and overly synthetic, it doesn't quite address whats to come, equally the outro doesn't unwind as much as I think its sweeping synths intend to. At fifty one minutes the record certainly entertains for its duration and may just be Erang's finest release yet and definitely the best of "The Last Age" records.

Favorite Tracks: Sequenced Suicide, Street Klowns, Home Schooling, Ruins Of The Lost Underground Kingdom

Rating: 9/10

Justice "Woman" (2016)

Drenched in the glossy ooze of indulgent synths, illuminated by soft swooning vocals, "Woman" takes us on a retroactive trip through the Disco dance floors of old with an infatuated re-imagining of that era. French House duo Justice probably can't get by without mention of another French House duo, Daft Punk, who's influence can be heard boldly on the noisy crunching club tune "Chorus". Daft Punk are known for their inspirational roots in Disco & Funk music but in their long absences this pair fill the void with no imitation craft. Similar in stature and matching in talent, Justice go down the smooth and swooning path with a bright and colorful set of instruments, electronics and strings  cruising over tight, rock steady softly thudding Dance beats.

With a backbone for the dance floor these songs play out with events, transformations and lucid progressions that may pass you by given their seamless chemistry. With a keen ear for strings many repetitions are brought to life with cinematic strings rumbling in with melodies like a lead guitar. The many layers of instruments interchange their focus to convert what could be simplistic, repetitive dance tunes into woven tapestries of symphonic dance night groove as one instrument takes the lead over from the next and the music continuously unravels before us in electronic wonder. The album has strength in variety and consistency tone, it flows like a river while taking us many places, some with hints of astral vibes as if gazing to the stars above.

 With little to flaw one can only marvel at the balance of elements here. Bright, modern production breaths life into old sounds and ideas. Its romantic, elegant and nostalgic, the duos singing, velvety high pitched harmonies, are sublime. On the song "Randy" they sound very much like the vocal style of Kevin Parker from Tame Impala. This record grew slow on me, which I find rather strange in reflection. With each familiarity the bigger picture became clearer I guess and I get the sense it will continue to grow on me with time. "Woman" is a very sturdy record, I can only sing its praises.

Favorite Tracks: Chorus, Randy, Heavy Metal

Rating: 8/10

Deathspell Omega "Paracletus" (2010)

French Black Metal outfit Deathspell Omega had not grasped my attention in the past but based on a personal recommendation I decided to give, what has been acclaimed as their best record, "Paracletus" a try. Of the many moons that have passed I have not found myself growing any fonder of the experience these forty two minutes hold but have certainly come to appreciate and understand its apparent brilliance. Its the fifth full length from the deeply satanic and anonymously mysterious band. They made a shift from primitive and raw Black Metal with their third and embarked on an experimental journey which has led them to this abomination of evil, the final installment of a malignant trilogy.

This record assaults us with an ensemble of dissonance, discords and rebellious anti-music as melodies and riffs are deformed to a repulsive form. Ive often heard discords and broken melodies in effect with grooves and rhythms, a careful counterbalance that props up the dissonance on other enjoyable musical values, however for a large portion of this record the musicians look to flail and torment us with desynchronized drum patterns, ugly, churning guitar chords, masticated, mangled guitar leads all whirling through a discernible frenzy of notes that inspire an unforgiving, unsettling darkness, hellbent on intensity over captivation.

In the moments it musically tones the onslaught down, passageways of atmosphere and scale come to fruition. Where its less chaotic and menacing it finds a middle ground where one can take in the disenchanting melodies and have pause for the imagination to muster. Otherwise its a truly menacing experience when the blast beats bear down with intentional disorganization, not giving one much room to process. It plays out like a constant unraveling beast, no formulaic song structures and some numbers simply bleed into the next.

It is only ever with focus and intent that I can really experience much from this record, as something for the background is fails to captivate me. With my attention it has sparks and moments but my taste is a little too conventional for whats at work here however I have a great appreciation of its artistic intention and execution, If anything Id wish to like it more but the chemistry isn't quite right. Very interesting listening experience.

Favorite Song: Phosphene

Rating: 5/10

Daft Punk "Random Access Memories" (2013)

Over three years ago the French duo released their fourth and classiest record to date and somehow my utter excitement to listen to It got buried by other distractions, I have no excuses. A month or so ago It dawned on me that I forgot of its existence, a shameful crime... Daft Punk need no introduction but if your unfamiliar then a little history is due, they are a pair of Electronic musicians who emerged from the House scene, contributed massively to the mainstream success and sound of modern electronic music while sealing themselves in an air of mystery at the same time, given their robot avatars. With four records in twenty years and one soundtrack the two have a lot of integrity to put the music at the foremost of their art, rarely touring and always striving the reach new heights with every ambition.

RAM is the moment where the two unchain themselves of their electronic origins and delve deeply into their disco, funk, soul and 70s music roots. Slick acoustic guitar licks, rock steady, grooving baselines and classy, subtle drumming all set a solid tone. Its gorgeous, slick, smooth and easy on the ears, all made possible by a collection of prestigious session musicians who revive the music of times gone by without a sense a nostalgia, a quite remarkable feat not commonly encountered. It plays out like a refined Disco of the future, finely tuned and polished to sparkle.

It comes full circle as the music's electronic aspect goes through a completely organic process of becoming the humanistic aspect as the lush instrumentals set a harmonious tone for bursts of measured synthesizers to find their moments between the ensemble of vintage instrumentation, captured together in a masterful production. Where a guest vocalist isn't present the pairs auto-tuned, electrified voices take command and bridge the connection. With an analytic mind its as if a case of reverse role has taken place, the voice electronic rather than the music but with a keen ear one can here the littering of subtle keys and murmuring synth lines between the traditional music.

All of this is essentially stated on "Giorgio By Moroder" through Italian producer Giorgio who, with a brilliant quote, captures much of the essence of whats at work on RAM. For all the praise I could lavish it with, RAM is a record of tone, mood and charisma. With a run time of seventy four minutes it does little to shake up its pace and energy and with consistency finds itself drifting out of my attention in the final stretch. By the time "Contact" rolls around with its ambitious noise abuse I'm about done with things and awaiting its conclusion. A brilliant output by the duo, a vision well and truly executed but perhaps lacking a little in variety and experimentation where its consistency runs dry.

Favorite Tracks: Give Life Back To Music, Loose Yourself To Dance, Get Lucky, Doin'it Right

Rating: 8/10

Erang "King Of Nothing, Slave To No One" (2017)

The new year gets off to a great start with a record from Izioq and now Erang, both of whom we feature on the channel as well as Crinkles, who's released a record too, which I wont be covering here. If I'm not mistaken this is the fifteenth in five years, an astonishing feet of work for a musician who's inspiration never seems to dry up. Once again we return to the mysterious realm of magic and dragons in the land of five seasons that resonates with another perspective, this time the mood is measured and the tone cinematic as we fly across the lands, getting a richer sense of setting.

"King Of Nothing, Slave To No One" for the most part tones down its melodies in favor of deep foggy synths that stir up the atmosphere from below. Where normally many melodies would dance around one another we find a much bigger emphasis on the landscape as singular leads caress the sights the deep synths set in their often gentle form. Its tempo is unhurried, measured, giving the listener much time to soak in the environment conjured without distraction.

As a result its a record experience, rather than a collection of songs with not much to cherry pick as rarely these songs compete for more that the concurrent fame of atmosphere. "Day Of The Troll" stands out as possibly the best yet of all the troll songs, a playful and mischievous group of melodies playing of one another. A couple of tracks bring an imperial vibe with the hammering of deep militant drums, accompanied by thematic horns and trumpet like sounds. This reaches new heights with "The Madman And The Dragons", the drums intensify and a tired, ancient voice narrates the premise of a hermit raised by dragons. We then encounter the both terrifying and majestic roars of dragons buried between the tunes of curios mystery.

 Its a gorgeous sounding record, mixed well, instruments are lush and softened up with engrossing reverbs. For all it sets up in the first half of the record I do feel as if the dominant theme of slower tempos and minimal compositions start to loose their charm as the record moves through its last stretch. In between the changes of pace with more upbeat melodies and the imperial songs the album musters a sense of event that is lost in the sprawl of moods that follow. In its best moments there are some brilliant inspirations at work and within its atmospheric songs finds much charm but across the records length it feels lost in the tempo that drags after some time.

Favorite Tracks: A New Magic Arises From The Steppes Of Kolm, Day Of The Troll, Spirits Of The Greenberry Haven, The Madman And The Dragons

Rating: 6/10

Izioq "Hello! I'm An Album" (2017)

I had to look it up to confirm, the first release we covered in 2016 was Izioq's "New Songs For Old Kids" and fittingly so is it this years first record we cover on this blog! Its the French composers fifth full length and one that's self aware. The album name and track titles like "I Can't Make An Album Without A Song About My Cat" and "Nice To Meet You I'm The First Track" make playful fun of the childlike and innocent aspirations for the music. Its no departure or major progression but another selection of tracks in the established style totaling fifty one minutes to make it the longest yet!

With that length and self aware persona comes an unfiltered variety that's loaded with sounds reminiscent of previous records as well as new vibes too. The most pleasing aspect for me where dreamy tracks full of quirky daydream melodies dressed up with lush reverbs and playful drum beats that played homage to the innocence of imagination. On a couple of tracks with more fleshed out beats it started to lean in a Downtempo direction with slow repetitive snare kick grooves which were quite engrossing.

Those more progressive styles where found between tracks with similar formats and templates to previous Izioq songs which weighed the experience down for me. It can be hard to get excited for the same ideas done over, the album opener sounds much like "Retro Life"s opener. The sixth track breaks to Izioq whistling the tune of the songs melody, which Ive heard before and so between some very pleasing tracks are throwbacks and homages that I didn't feel brought more to the table.

 The best moments came from the more cautious and cinematic instrumentation that broke away from the conventional quirky melodies and playful upbeat character. The last songs of the record drifted into a reflective and moody state which yielded the fantastic " Joyeuses Vagues", translated "happy waves", which brings a moving sense of departure and farewell in a serene setting, a really warming composition. "Hello! I'm An Album" is a mixed bag of treats, some old, some new and all things in between.

Favorite Tracks: Doodoon Song, Izioqism, A Nifflas Lecture, Joyeuses Vagues, See You Soon

Rating: 6/10

Ubiquity Is The Answer "Infinite Number of Elements" (2007)

Side project of French musician Cheney from Void Thru Materialism, "Ubiquity Is The Answer" is a similar beast of mathematical Djent Metal with touches of Thrash, Groove and Extreme Metal. It sounds like an outtake record, the guitar tone is almost identical and its only the style and abrasive approach that separates its identity from VTM. "Infinite Number of Elements" is a harsh rhythmic assault that strips back harmonization and melodies in favor of hard crunching metallic grooves which delve into polyrhythms and mathematic time signatures within the context of the overall 4/4.

Its drum machine is especially raw, snare rolls sound like machine gun fire and its volume in the mix is overbearing. That and Cheney's whispered scream style turns a quite fruitful musical experiment into a dizzying onslaught as the magic in the guitars is constantly weighed down by ugly drum kit sounds and over compensating vocals that lack a proper scream. The guitar tone on the other hand is spot on, big bold, tonal and performed to perfection for a range of tricky note fretting.

Behind its ugly facade an unstructured riff fest emerges where elastic grooves, temporal chugging and tribal antics are set free to explore themselves on the open field. Mostly its one to the next as the guitar leads the music in a linear fashion through each idea. The best moments come when the guitars double up because its mostly a singular riff at the fore front, when a lead guitar or alternative rhythm guitar joins in there are sparks of magic. "One To Six" being one of the record harshest songs find a moment of charm smothered by aggressive drums where an alien hammer on lead opens a dimension of sound along side the main guitar.

"Anonmaly Number Five" has a flash of things to come as the song abruptly breaks to a moment of jazzy Metal and follows it up with textural Djent's much in the style of Animals As Leaders. Aside from that their isn't much else that tells a tale of things to come. Cheney is very much focusing on the mathematics and odd time signatures that Meshuggah had brought to prominence. Its very much a record of experiments and outtakes, weighed down by a lack of polish in production and a tech demo vibe that comes across in the riff lead progression. It is however enjoyable but not something to come back to.

Favorite Track: Organic Texture

Rating: 4/10

Void Thru Materialism "Converge Into Unquiet Spaces" (2005)

Opening with an almost acoustic, slightly distorted, quiet guitar being strum you might reach for the volume dial only to have the music blow up a moment later as aggressive distortion guitars burst in with groovy, thrash energy and a seasoning of polyrhythmic goodness. Void Thru Materialism have there mark on my channel, the "void" added to Xisuma given the username was taken and I was listening to this band in search of one. They are a French band from Paris, born out of a one man band project that started back in 2001. How I discovered them is still foggy in my mind but despite next to no success in terms of exposure I adored them. At a time when online distribution was in its infancy any free music was a gem to find and since then I have always gone back to this band.

Void's inception and identity comes just before the Progressive Metal sound took its current direction. With the Djent guitar tone and Meshuggah time signature influences they reside in a space where Groove Metal and Metalcore on noticeable aspects on there crunchy guitar chugging sound. Between slamming the low notes on singular strings the band has many power chord driven riffs, something Meshuggah dropped after "Destroy Erase Improve" ten years earlier, something fans of the band do comment on missing.

With a sensibility for good grooves, guitar chugging and power chord ringing, the bands brains, Cheney, accents it all with great melodic guitar leads that counter the otherwise mechanical, metallic sometimes Industrial sound that pummels away. In good fashion the songs take on conventional song structures with room for expansive moments in the longer cuts. The title track "Converge" loops its killer riff at the four minute mark for a spacial guitar lead to elude us of a conventional solo as its deep reverb and indifference to the crunching polymorphic riff beneath have it wandering its way towards the void, forever meandering without conclusion other than the rigid cut at the track end.

The music is fantastic, its production is both a flaw and strength for me, the drum kit from hell is obvious and overall it could do with a bit of polish and clarity but its far from harmful. Its charm is in the DIY aspect, there is passion within this music and the necessary means have been found to connect us to it. Another aspect of mixed results is vocalist "R" who has a unique and polarizing style with a forceful, disjointed, unconventional approach that steers clear of normality at every turn. Having known each song inside out, with Cheney doing his best for vocals, I initially disliked the change but over time its grown on me, out of familiarity. One thing I do like is the obscure growls and cryptic murmurings that fill the silence between sung, or spoken, words. His performance certainly has character.

As much as I adore this record I can't be too generous, this is just a four track EP, or five with the bonus, and much of my love for "Converge" comes from the demo album that came before it. I know the songs inside out due to my fanatical listening of their demos back in my youth and so it holds a special place and a good feeling within me. For the average listener I'm not sure what they would get from it, I do however think with a fair few listens much of what I can hear would come across, there are a lot of strong grooving, time signature oriented riffs at work.

Rating: 7/10

Alcest "Kodama" (2016)

French Shoegazing band Alcest have made waves in the past from their unique fusion with Black Metal, taking their hazy guitars to bleaker tones and pairing them with shrill screams between harmonious singing. On this record they distance themselves a little from the darker side of their sound and dive further into the introspective sounds of Post-Metal. Like a band that know their craft well, Alcest churn out another handful of enigmatic tracks illuminated by a keen sense of colorful melancholy melodies that weave in and out of their hazy, thick guitars that continually shift the musics pace with varying intensities.

Its a similar affair to 2012's "Les Voyages De L'Âme". With less screaming and darkness the band swim through similar waters which made it less remarkable for me. These songs are gorgeous, full of transitions between smothering guitars and acoustic interludes that fluidly explore the juxtaposition in their sound and to much merit can so swiftly move between gentle melodies to harrowing screams and dense guitar chord shredding with no rigidity. "Je Suis D'allieurs" sounds almost parallel "Nous Sommes L'emeraude" in its opening stages, something that most of this record does, echo moments from a previous record.

Its a strange criticism of a band you enjoy when they do the same thing, personally I think progression is important for musicians, hearing the same thing over and over rarely works. "Untouched" and "Notre Sang Et Nos Pensées" steer further towards spacious Post-Metal sounds, which give some freshness to the record. The records shortest "Oynx" hums a bleak and hurtful atmosphere of sorrow through heavily narrowed guitar distortions and bass guitar bleeding into one another for a peak into a grave moment of existence. These breaks from the norm where exciting in an otherwise predictable, yet truly serene listening experience.

Favorite Tracks: Kodama, Onyx

Rating: 6/10

Erang "Anti Future" (2016)

With a distinctly different album art and futurist themed title, Erang has stepped bravely into new territory as the fantasy driven Dungeon Synth sound takes on a dystopian Sci-Fi angle, attempting to bridge into new territory. Its an effortless transition where the musical sensibilities re-arrange themselves for a shiny pallet of glossy echoing synth leads, chunky robotic baselines and dense atmospheric moogs. Its a vision similar to an 80s future fiction movie soundtrack where technology is paired with smoke, litter and crime. Shady aliens, dark alleyways home to mutants and black market tech riddles the distant cities and planets through Erang's "eerie" or creepy quality which remains firmly intact, painting this futuristic world in mythic stature.

Within its clean and glossy production balanced with measures of timely reverb lies another collection of visual, vivid melodies that carve eternal times and places into the mind. One that stands out is "Time Vision", diving into a dark and harrowing space with spacious execution of sweeping synth and an unsettling melody, echos of misfortune from the fading piano, haunting the listener with its sorrow. The record only steers into this darker phase on its way out and the majority of tracks have a playful touch with the safety of distance from the oddities we encounter in the anti future.

Erang has never been one for progressive music and despite a sharp, memorable record these songs do what many of his do, meander in the moment, dance around a select group of melodies that compliment each other in short expanses. On records like "Our Dreams Are Made Of Dragons" It works brilliantly, beautiful snapshots peering into the beyond but here the tone and atmospheres set in the opening songs makes me feels as if something is just starting, we are about to embark on an adventure. Before you know it the moment passes and the next song musters up a whirl of potential that feels underutilized.

Its a strange dissatisfaction to want more from something you enjoy and something out of your control. There are moments in the record where the blood gets pumping as crisp drum kicks and snares pound a mechanical rhythm with echos of an Industrial sound. It comes to fruition on "2082" where the marching pace is accompanied by a robotic chugging of crisp distortion guitar to much satisfaction. Its a short lived song though, another that visits a singular moment. I love this record for its aesthetic and theme, the melodies are gorgeous as ever but somewhere in there it feels like the stage was set for something grander.

Favorite Songs: The Highway Goes Ever On, Another Zone, The Drunken Maniac, Floating Children, Video Sunset, Time Vision, 2082

Rating: 7/10

Gojira "Magma" (2016)

Gojira were once France's most promising band in a lacking Metal scene the country is still devoid of. The mid naughties saw the release of "From Mars To Sirius" which catapulted them into the touring circuit, a critically acclaimed release with a handful of songs becoming a staple in their live set. They are now a well and truly established Metal outfit with their environmentally conscious edge striking a uniqueness in their sound. Ive never listened to a record of theirs properly, mostly I know the songs they will play live and a few others so with the announcement of their sixth full length It was about time I gave it my time and attention.

My initial observation has become the focal point of this records charm, Its not as heavy, something Metal bands can often get persecuted for. In the case of Gojira the atmospheric, lighter edge in their sound has become the focus with the rhythm guitars playing second fiddle to clean vocals and lead melodies. Its a shift that retains the groove and characteristic of their aggressive playing but subverted to a temperate environment, fit to satisfy fans without downplaying its significance. There are many chugging grooves churning away under the vocals which could of been more prominent in the forefront but stay as relevant in a moodier setting. Its quite a satisfying chemistry where the most crucial aspect of a groove or melody has been presented in simplicity over complexity with only one or two of their trademarked mind bending guitar noise riffs making their way into the songs in a slower form.

Even if the scales have tilted, there are plenty of breakout moments for head banging and crunchy momentum but its the atmosphere this record has that makes its mark. It often feels as if an ooze of organic synth is creeping in between instruments but actually its the clean vocals that are dressed with a long reverbing echo, having each sung line drift and disperse into the guitars with a moody charm. The atmospheric mood has a hint of gloom, a touch of mystery and a deeply organic vibe further resonating with the natural theme in the lyrics which are emotionally charged, something you feel through Duplantier's performances.

The album cover is very appropriate, the record has a chromatic and pale tone with its slower pace and calming melodies. The mixing is fantastic, even in a modern age where capturing instruments crisply is relatively easy, it is an art to balance them with the right tone, volume and coloring. Everything here compliments each other, no overpowering, over loud instruments and the vocals are simply gorgeous in the clean moments. My only complaint is that the second half drifts further into the less metallic component of their sound and does so with a fair bit of repetition. Otherwise its a solid record.

Favorite Tracks: Silvera, The Cell, Stranded, Magma

Rating: 8/10

Erang "Our Dreams Are Made Of Dragons" (2016)

With little surprise a second Erang album hits us this year from the one man band who has pumped out twelve records in just four years. This installment in the ongoing journey revisits the origins, the "Tome" era where Erang's sound was distinctly more primitive, spooky and eerie. Over time his compositions have become more layered and visual, the vibe shifted into fantasy but still holding onto the Dungeon Synth ideals. With this new record Erang revisits the "Tome" era with a wealth of knowledge and inspiration from his musical journey to enrich an old sound which has been shadowed by such records as "We Are The Past".

From the first, through all the many listens Ive given this record the magic flows effortlessly through minimal compositions that inspire engrossing atmospheres. Dreams and dragons certainly come to mind as each of the songs spellbind us with eerie, mystical nostalgic wonder. You can travel deep into your imagination with these melodies which feel both human and of another world. Each melody and song offers its own tale but looking over the track listing these names further illuminate the experience with their suggestions for what might be taking place.

Like the older "Tome" records, a lot of these songs focus on two or three instruments dancing around one another with a lack of percussion. There's a select and complimentary pallet of instruments at work, all armed with subtle reverbs and are fine tuned to occupy the same spaces gracefully. No instruments clash or feel out of place, they compliment one another and more often than not a quiet underlying synth lays down soft notes, almost unnoticeable but deepening the atmosphere.

"The Saddest Witch" Is a brilliant, simple song that showcases these qualities. A gentle, foggy bell like lead creates the air of mystery and wonder before a counteracting saw synth comes in with a mischievous, curious melody that dances around the other. With a clash of cymbals the song elevates, the melodies switch instruments and a soft guitar takes place of the saw wave synth. Below them deep synths arise feeling buried in the reverb that washes away from the other instruments and cymbal clashes. "Children Of The Frozen Forest" is another song with a remarkable atmosphere through simplicity. In its opening stages a women's voice can be heard faint and distorted through the cold enchanted atmosphere. It starts to shift with eerie synths talking like voices and the sounds of winds bustling up slowly in the distance.

Much of the record follows simple principles, one or two melodies, shifts in tone and direction that never become extravagant. Its modest, direct and within that design and construct emerges inspired melodies, tunes and music that fires up the imagination. With such a large discography it can be tricky to picture where it rests in the frame. Revisiting some of the "Tome" records I hear the same spirit but with the instrument choices, use of reverb, composition and of course the music itself having matured vastly. "Our Dreams Are Made Of Dragons" is a quiet record, one that will creep up and charm you with its own realm of fantasy and imagination.

Favorite Tracks: The Saddest Witch, The Old Knight's Farewell, The Twins Troubadours Of Tadyar, Children Of The Frozen Forest

Rating: 8/10