Yagya "Stormur" (2019)

Excitement and exception falls flat on its face as I rush to pick up a record without a pause to hear it first. Yagya has been a frequent "go to" for a particular mood, the steady pacing, ambient energy and dreamy atmospheres are blissful in the right setting, even calming. This time around the formula has changed, a pivot back towards roots in Dub, Techno and IDM music leaves us with a record more alike a Tangerine Dream album than Brian Eno. The opening couple of tracks have the distinctive soft and airy synths, cushioning the monotone beat and slowly melting into a dreamy atmosphere. It takes off where Sleepygirl left but not for long.

With each track the layer of warm and tranquil synths seem to slip out of focus as the underlying drive of Dub beats seem to become the main narrative. With an unhealthy amount of repetition the musics elongated moments seems to ploy around the microscopic details of the beat and its synths that latch closely. Inflection, tone and volume morphs and transmutes with the occasional kick removal offering up the only variety. Its at this point the songs drone on with that Tangerine Dream quality of winding meandering synths. Its dull, the record may possesses degrees of composure but its long strolls through winding beat manipulation suck out any magic it musters in brief moments. A real disappointment, not my cup of tea that is for sure.

Rating: 2/10

Living Colour "Biscuits" (1991)

When it comes to music I am somewhat of a completionist, which leads me too this disposable EP released between albums. It also means a negative blog post, something I am not fond of. Here we have six tracks, comprising of five unreleased songs, three of them performed live and my favorite Living Color song Desperate People, also live. Each track seems to be scared by some jarring feature that taints the whole experience to a rushed throwaway. Two of the tracks feature scratching samples with a generic 80s rawness. Its hard and mixed in over the rest of the music for a disparaging equilibrium that stains mediocre songs with an unfinished feeling. The second of these had potential however. Its Ska basslines and esoteric, dreary, gothic guitars muster interest that's interrupted by tone deaf scratching.

The live performance of Desperate People from Vivid has all the enthusiasm and electricity of a wild show but the music is overplayed, too many variations and additional guitar noise gives an impression of the band getting to into the energy of playing and sacrificing a lot of fidelity. Further into the song Glover falls off key and it doesn't paint a good sell for the live show. On another tracks he moans and groans into the mic in a way that never sounds quite right... I could go on but you get the point, the quality here is sub par and with some bold annoyances on the project it just feels like a quick hash of material pulled together without much thought.

Rating: 2/10

Pale Waves "My Mind Makes Noises" (2018)

My Mind Makes Noises is a frankly disappointing debut record from this youthful eighties revival band. Its a rather different experience from their promising four track, All The Things I Never Said. The excitement of a young new act and nostalgic vibes stirred quite hype but its weak points, mainly lyrics, never stood out as much as it does on the fifty minutes one has to endure here. Singer Baron-Gracie has the clean cut voice perfect for simple pop songs but the lyrical simplicity is almost painful. Her use of plain observational language, a lack of creative lyricism and heavy repetition cycles through the same bleak teenage relationship topics over and over again. Insecurities, envy, jealous, infatuation and raging youthful emotion froth to the boil on every song. Its just not my cup of tea unfortunately.

Behind her words glossy, squeaky clean instrumentals pump out eighties melodies in dead simple song structures for fourteen songs with little in the way of variety. Its a tolerable experience with gleaming melodies glistening over steady beats and sturdy foundational baselines. They come repackaged again and again with varying degrees of tone but ultimately the same formula. Its little distraction from the self indulgent, aggrandizing lyrics that elevate surface emotions over self reflection or introspection.

Its quite frankly immature and that is fine, Its clearly for a younger audience and I could totally see a young me digging it. The music is tolerable but the lyrics were like an ear worm. I don't think the EP's words were less formed in this direction and thus got away with one but at this point I am not terribly excited about where they go from here. I will probably pick up the next album if its singles show signs of development. Seems unlikely but would be nice to hear this sound go to new places.

Rating: 2/10

Portal "Ion" (2018)

Its January and that means digging through various 2018 top lists for last years treats I missed out on. Australian Experimental Death Metal band Portal caught my eye but not my ear. Its been a drag to see out this record which aims to deconstruct and reassemble Extreme music into the ugliest form imagined. The result is almost unbearable but with some tolerance and repeated exposures to this decadence, little magics were reveal below the surface bar one or two sparse incidents.

Assaulting with scratchy jarring guitar tones, Portal create blocks of sound out of maddening disjointed fretting noise that's mostly discernible. Lacking any rhythm, groove or melody its becomes a pure rebellion of established ideas and an experiment unto its own. Working with tension, disharmony and atonality the songs bleed into an anti-music mess, they all seem one and the same. Perhaps only Spores makes a mark in being even more wretched and disgusting with an injection of harsh noise and teeth clenching distortion that is at least of interest through aesthetic curiosity.

Each track amasses an arsenal of estranged guitar torture to burrow through in bursts of blast beats between build ups that seem to interchange with the roll of a dice. Not even a sense of momentum is reasonable. In its best moments it reminded me of the scattering, sludgy madness of a young Morbid Angel and discovering Death Metal for the first time, putting together the pieces behind the musics brutal and abrasive aesthetic. When ever a glimpse of that same magic starts to form its swiftly cast down by the shifting intensities that also work to dispel its brief and fleeting atmospheres.

Its most favorable aspect is singer "Horror Illogium" who consistently puts forth a one-dimensional whisper-like throaty growl that wouldn't sound out of place in a conventional Death Metal band. It feels like the only thing grounding the record but he too is a dull roar. Its entirely possible that I am missing the point, not connecting the dots and I'll probably give It a try every now and then but after five attempts its turned into a snooze fest of ideas that seem designed to disgust than inspired to incite.

Rating: 2/10

Old Tower "The Book Of Ages" (2015)

 Now we arrive at the roots, a debut release for Dutch wizard Old Tower. Fourteen minutes of creaky, fumbling Dungeon Synth. Amateur and hazardous in nature, its futile attempts to conjure atmosphere and mystique fall flat on the back of inexperience and lack of vision. Its a typical entry level record similar to many who have stepped into the genre with the likes of Mortiis and Burzum on the mind. With spurious shifts between often singular, low fidelity synth tones the music drifts from one to the next with little beyond its imitations to grasp at. Its cuts to deep foreboding voices, far to ambiguous for comprehension signal a narrative that alludes me.

It does in one or two moments match a key tone to its spooky aesthetic for moments of intrigue. Its attempt to cast a soundscape of medieval battle with the sounds of burning fires and swords clashing reminded me of my own folly into similar ideas with the end of Eternal Myst from my Forgotten Conquest album. It puts to mind my own personal experience adventuring into Dungeon Synth and how my own passion may not be conveyed in amateurish enthusiasm. As harsh as Ive been there is no doubt passion was put into this project and its second half does shape up better but overall its forgettable and I'm glad I didn't start here as great things were to come.

Rating: 2/10

Old Tower "Ruination" (2017)

In the age of ever changing release formats we have Ruination, The New Darn Cometh, simply a lone nine minute track of meditative Dungeon Synth, the defining style of Dutch musician Old Tower. Its another gloomy and atmospheric piece of brooding, darkly synth that could be placed right alongside The Rise Of The Scepter, released earlier that year. Its pallet and range of events are limited in scope but its sense power to conjure rural visions of dark, foreboding medieval times are on form.

Horns and trumpets of isolated glory sound of the song as a familiar vale of deep foggy synths mystifies its leading melodies, one can see a stoic castle being consumed by heavenly clouds sweeping in over cold and unforgiving moors of a harder time for man. Its crawling pace steadily brews its way towards a break of soft choral choirs that allure in gong strikes and a sense of epic that drifts gently out of focus without a peak. At its end a murmurous melody of lonely mischief winds out the last minutes of the song on a whimper. As a reasonable song packaged within a short project, the music yearns to be part of something bigger but is lonesome. Old Tower has a spell bounding and wondrous sound that I wish to indulge in for far longer.

Rating: 2/10

Machine Gun Kelly "Binge" (2018)

Its been a while since we've had some entertaining Rap beef. I don't take it all that seriously but if it leads to good songs and gets people listening then its usually good for those involved. In the case of MGK Eminem has handed him a golden opertunity on Kamikaze where he took shots at a lot of rappers, especially the new generation. Being the first to respond, Rap Devil gave Midwest rapper Kelly over 100 million views and a lot of exposure, an opertunity to find new fans which has surely been squandered on this flimsy, hastily assembled extended play. Its trashy. Its a stinker.

The bulk of these beats are mediocre at best. Lacking their own style they come off as Trap mimics, deploying all the tropes of shuffling hi hats and sub base kicks in a variety of arrangements that lack intention beyond doing whats currently in. Its chasing the Mumble Rap sound and Kelly's voice just isn't suited to it. Unfortunately the couple of instrumentals that do have some traction and excitement in them seem to be stacked up against the worst of MGK's troubling lyrics.

And that's the hardest thing to endure on these songs. Kelly is all attitude and no substance. Its braggadocios, angry and aimless. He boasts and raves about his careless attitude and drug abuse without a measure of meaning to be extracted. The hooks are weak, the rhymes subpar and occasionally a few unintentionally hilarious lines slip in past the "quality" filter. I wonder if anyone advised him not to release these songs. There is also an awful feature on Signs, an auto-tune abusing vocal hook that sounds so lifted and uninspired, a total rip.

Rap Devil is the only song worth your time. Upon release it was obvious Eminem was a sitting duck for a diss. So much of the subject matter was born from Em's jaded, angry attitude but it brought the best out of Kelly, forced him to focus on a subject and find strings of coherent rhymes on the same track. There is none of that focus and craft to be found here, the songs barely make three minutes and the two that do, bar Rap Devil, have extra beats stitched on the end of them. Not sure what Kelly was thinking here, cash grab? Maybe he wasn't thinking at all.

Favorite Track: Rap Devil

Rating: 2/10

D12 "The Underground EP" (1996)

The Dirty Dozen, better know as D12 are a Detroit based rap collective formed in 1996. They are best known for their association with founding member Eminem, who created his Slim Shady persona for the group, each of the six members had alter egos to make up a dozen. My recent foray into some of Marshall's early records and Soul Intent demos led me too this record I completely forgotten about. Its no surprise because its a poor demo release, perhaps hindered by the poor fidelity of some tracks which border inaudible as the bass rumbles and overpowers the rappers.

I was never big on D12, Purple Pills and the like where fun back in the MTV days but only one track, Fight Music, still sounds reasonable today. The rest of their material sounds immature and intentionally shocking upon reflection. Lyrically this EP has more substance in flashes but also some indulgences in intentionally provocative lyrics. Its a high pitched, Beastie Boys alike, Eminem and filthy Bizzare that lead the front on the shock lyrics. Proof on the other hand comes with far better verses than anyone else around him and gives the record a couple of credible track.

The production style dominates my lack of enjoyment. The beats are stripped back and dull. Popping snares groove of light, brief bass kicks and thin hi-hats while melodies are reduced to a minimal amount of notes. The sub bass rumbles with a lack of coherence, just punching in the space around the kick drum adding next to no value. Cock And Squeeze ads some thickness and color to the sound with an indulgent, hypnotic sample but the the choice to cut the volume dead in time with the beat is a firm reminder this style is just not my cup of tea. Its all to stiff and monotone, I can't groove with it. One track, Derelict Theme, manages to overcast this style with some powerful, moody strings that bring a rich and gnarly atmosphere to the track but one reasonable song in a stint of drab duds couldn't save this record.

In their inception there is little other than Proof that stands out and shows promise. You can however hear some obvious influences on Eminem's career, especially when he gets into production in the mid 00s, his hard cut style has some similarities to whats attempted here. The Underground EP is unfortunately a dull record and given the fidelity of Art Of War it could be argued that the quality of this lost, out of print record may play a big hand in its lifeless feel but since this is all we have, it is what it is, somewhat of a stinker.

Rating: 2/10

Summoning "As Echoes From The World Of Old" (2018)

To compliment their new full length album, With Doom We Come, the Austrian duo Summoning release a fifteen minute, two track EP from the same recording session. The first a steady burning flame of nine minutes journeying its burly guitar droning and hunching Nazgul screams through an epic landscape marked by the pounding of deep Orkish drums and continual melodic inflections on a mysterious harp like instrument. Its climaxed by a warm flute melody that rides above the music and ads a focal point for the song as it drops in and out with more accompanying instruments harmonizing like empowering trumpets each time.

It gives the song a sense of linage which the second track doesn't get close to. With a gloomier, thicker guitar dominance and the returning pounding of tribal drums its similar construct and steady pace doesn't achieve the same charm as its complimenting melodies stem from a more sorrowful, uneventful source of imagination. These two, more primitive songs, could of made the final cut but you can see why they are bonus tracks, they are rather simplistic and repetitive. A fair setting is conjured but it doesn't scale near the heights of the full length.

Favorite Track: As Echoes From The World Of Old

Rating: 2/10

Cannibal Corpse "Red Before Black" (2017)

You shouldn't think of this as a musical "review" of sorts, this blog is about the musical journey, exploration, discovery and how my relation with Death Metal's most infamous band most is surely exhausted. Approaching thirty years as a band they have offered up classics, stinkers and a fair amount of variety but they and both the genre seem to be stagnating from an evolutionary perspective. Stylistically its the same formula, approach and brutal mindset repeated year after year, failing to make it feel exciting or adventurous anymore. Given my disappointment with "A Skeletal Domain" I was going to pass this one by, that wouldn't of been a bad idea.

I first put the record on during a very adrenaline fueled mood. The bludgeoning pelt of the drums racing along, the thunderous menacing roar of visceral shouts howling at their victims and the blistering, razor sharp distortion guitars shredding carnal madness had me head banging like a loon. To good to be true? Mood can always effect an experience but it only took four or five tracks for the intensity to die down as it became monotony. My absence to this sound gave me a rush of excitement but once that settled and the record drew on, the business as usual reality came to be so.

Red Before Black edges forward again with a slightly more intense sound than its predecessor. Everything a little tighter, more intense and kudos to Corpsegrinder for somehow maintaining that inhuman roar through the years. The music is technically cutting, littering the album with all manor of intricate riffs and challenging music but its all packaged within that same Cannibal Corpse intensity they refuse to let up from. Tempo changes and slightly "expansive" twists are always chained down by the identity they have stuck by relentlessly. Whenever a moment comes that it might sound like the song could open up, or go down a new avenue its always pulled back to that blast beat led pummeling that has become utterly boring for me.

I'm glad I enjoyed it for a brief moment but past that first listen its been nothing but a slug of unexciting brutality that feels so pointless in the bands decision not to challenge themselves or move on from what they perfected years ago. Even though I love this sort of music, there is only room for so much before it becomes hard to get into anymore. I wasn't expecting them to move forward and I got exactly that, the only positive I can give them is the production, probably their best aesthetic to date.

Rating: 2/10

Linkin Park "One More Light" (2017)

Linkin Park are one of this millenniums biggest names in Rock music and I had pretty much checked out from the band after the release of their record braking Hybrid Theory. Its only a couple of years ago that I got around to Meteora and bar their Nu Metal records I have heard next to nothing from them. There change of direction never mustered much interest in me however this latest record has, for all the wrong reasons. Like a morbid curiosity I wanted to hear what the fuss was about and before I give you my thoughts I should say that I hold no artists to any ideals or expectations that says they can't change their sound, or pursue whatever their musical interests are. Sometimes suspicions are aroused that the music may not be the key factor in a change of sound. You or I can never know but something feels very disingenuous about this record.

Shedding skin and starting over, the groups sound is rewritten from scratch, leaving behind all traces of Rock and pursuing what I can only describe as yesterdays squeaky clean, overtly emotional, top 40 pop music. Chester sings in his softest of tones, everything oozing sweetly through slow, simple melodies with lyrics that make my skin crawl. Mind the pun, these lyrics are the sort that display "emotional depth" through a glorification of pain and sorrows without the resolve to get into the grit of whats really being sung about. It sounds vague, loose and very palatable. Weak features from Pusha T and Stormzy feel far out of place, like token rappers in a pop song, Mike Shinoda's one rap on "Good Goodbye" just lacks charisma or any measure of  memorability. He does however show his singing voice on a couple others and I can't fault him on that, he has a decent, if very soft voice on him.

The instrumentals are chasing yesterdays sound, in a painful way. Many songs have the popular chirpy, high pitched spliced vocals stuttering away in the mix. Soft Dubstep synth murmur in places and most the songs drop in some trendy "woah oah oahs" gang shouts into the background. Its awful, tone deaf, self indulgent and really misses the mark where it walks in the shadows of others. The best thing about this record is never listening to it again. In fairness the first few tracks are reasonable but as it draws on it turns into torture, the lyrics especially. Whatever the bands motivations, it is questionable that so much of this record hinges on other peoples ideas and yesterdays pop sound.

Rating: 2/10

Crazy Town "Gift Of Game" (1999)

Listening to "That's Not Metal" Nu Metal podcast special had me curious about how bad a record could be. Back in the boom period of the genre, Crazy Town's "Butterfly" was a song you couldn't get away from and I have fond, humorous memories of my friends mocking the song and band. I didn't mind the song much myself but it occurred to me I have never heard anything beyond it. That single alone carried the record to platinum sales and given the podcast duos angry musings on how awful it was I decided I could endure a little punishment. Given my fondness of the era and tolerance for Rap Metal I got a kick from of the record that Id never expect of anyone else. Even if some aspects were enjoyable in the first half of the record, the lyrical obnoxiousness and cheapness dragged it to the gutter and once you've past the single track its clear the bands ideas becoming exhausting.

Before we get to the tripe it should be said that the guitar sound, despite being generic for the time, does have some punch and bounce about it. The occasional riff is able to muster some interest and the drummer holds a reasonable beat. I quite liked some of the experimentation with various influences, synthesized vocal lines, Funk and Disco grooves, effect washed acoustics. Unfortunately these reasonable aspects are dragged down by the frankly appalling front men Binzer and Mazur.

The duo's raps are a constant bombardment of cheap, sleazy, thuggish braggadocios. They sound like sex creepers as many misogynistic lyrics show they have very little regard for anyone but themselves. There attitude says lyrical gangsters, yet all the street talk comes of sour, a lot of hot air spat between blunt tongue cursing. Its trashy, the two have passable flows but their tones are nasal, sharp and repelling, word play is cheap and stuck in the past with obvious, simplistic rhymes often arrive to at a great stretch of the path.

The last few songs start to take on a Beastie Boys persona, throwing it back a decade with a sampling of the classic PSK, deploying a faster old school flow. Unfortunately the legendary KRS-One becomes a casualty, lured into the studio to get involved in the Metal Hip Hop crossover. Seems he drew the shortest straw, his presence is by far the best thing the record has to offer. Crazy Town represent the worst of Nu Metals corporate days. If there is a passable record here, its drowned by the nauseating presences of the two "rappers" and their self centered antics.

Rating: 2/10

Birocratic "Julien Solomita" (2016)

Back with another small release, American producer Biro is at it again crafting a few more beats in his particular flavor of easy going Jazz Hop. Lively sampled drum loops and soothing instrumentals come together for this short three track which has no surprises in store. The mid track continues the development of vocal eccentric sampling, chopping and pitch shifting a singers words into indecipherable snippets that make up warming melodies. The first and last songs are fairly straight forward beats with sampling of what sounds like a 40s singer, although I'm really unsure how to describe the source. The first tack "Burner" feels far more fleshed out with a gorgeous Spanish guitar lead shimmering as the focus of a beat with atmosphere and depth, the vocal sampling plays second fiddle in the background, coming of more like an instrument on a track that hits the mark.

The opening track has a bit of flair, otherwise its fairly mediocre. With his style established I'm hoping for a full length from Biro with flair and substance. For now its another micro record clocking in at six and a half minutes that doesn't satisfy the itch. The best track also seems a little unfinished with no break of progression and simply fading out before the two minute mark its all over a bit too quick.

Favorite Track: Burner

Rating: 2/10

The Prodigy "The Night Is My Friend" (2015)

Last year British legends of Essex "The Prodigy" returned from the darkness for another record, something they do every six years or so since their most successful "Land Of The Fat" back in the 90s where they were much more active. I caught the promoting tour which was one heck of an atmosphere to take in, one big party with a crazy light show and Maxim Reality exploring the venue, singing while walking through the crowd. Hungry for a little more I picked up the counterpart EP that finishes the other half of the lyric from title track "The Day Is My Enemy".

It should be known EPs and singles can often be tidbit extras, scraps and left overs brought together to fit the norm. Unfortunately "The Night Is My Friend" falls right into that territory. The opening "Get Your Fight On" is a re-equalized track that wouldn't even get audiophiles excited. A shortened three minute edit of "Rhythm Bomb" is thrown in possibly for radio play. There is only one new song "AWOL" which is pretty banging, another big break-beat with a lot of texture, distortions and typical Prodigy noises. Its plays itself down and builds up that typical dance suspense with an increasing snare leading in the drop which is the hook heard at the opening. Its a short but sweet song.

Lastly there are two remixes, "Rebel Radio" gets chopped up, re arranged with a clanging, loud snare harping on through the track reminiscent of "St. Anger". Not appealing and Caspa's remix of "The Day Is My Enemy" isn't as bad but his shuffling Trap hi-hats and Dubstep wobbles don't really fit the sample material, Its mediocre at its best. With just one new song its quite the disappointment, not a release worthy of attachment to the main album in my opinion.

Favorite Track: AWOL (Strike One)

Rating: 2/10

Eternal Lord "Demo" (2007)

This two track demo is the turning point for the Deathcore five-piece band, Eternal Lord, who released a stunning debut EP, both unique in character and crushingly heavy, its been a gem to me for years. I decided to follow up on the rest of their discography which consists of this demo and an album which was so disappointing on first listen I never gave it a chance. With Rickett out in favor of Edward Butcher on vocals the band make a big stylistic shift for the worse. Butcher's vocals aren't half bad or even the problem, the group seemed to have shifted away from their once distinct breed of Deathcore to a generic, unexciting and atypical sound for the scene which is simply tiring and dated.

This two track demo is studio quality however its a total chug fest of palm muted open string riffs and generic breakdowns which pass through one ear and out the other. There is practically nothing more for me to say, its not terrible, or unlistenable but if you were to write the key characteristics of Deathcore on paper you would get this demo. There is no charm, unique flavor or twist in sight, its bog standered and boring. Perhaps their is an echo of their style in the occasional metal core riff and drumming break but they are smothered by the generic flood of mediocrity.

Rating: 2/10

Neptune Towers "Transmissions From Empire Algol" (1995)

The second of two ambient records by Norwegian Darkthrone musician Fenriz has little of the ambiguous charm "Caravans To Empire Algol" did. Its another oddity of transforming sounds with little direction or immersion to offer. In its merit there is an aquatic quality about the first songs choice of sounds, sometimes resembling whales, however it amounts to very little in the grand scheme of things. The first tract slogs its way through a collection of friendlier sounds with less drone and fuzz than its predecessor, a chilling organ pops up in the middle and other electronic leads take over following it. Although unnerving, mysterious and illusive in their own way they never get to add up to anything grander with what mood the instrument sets simply drifting out into next shift in the song, dispelling what little magic it conjoured.

The second track bares an uncanny resemblance to Kraftwerk and possibly "Endless Endless" with similar electronic tones and even the melodies sounding distinctly similar if not reminiscent of their approach to composition. It could also be a case of the equipment used having default sounds but I have uncovered no information on how it was composed. Again it drifts through a set of sounds however the aimlessly dispel the vibe when they transition with little correlation. The first record had more ambiguity and mystic going for itself with its dense drones and occasional whiff of a tune in the baseline. "Transmissions..." is more accessible but in that the lack of direction, purpose or composure is further exposed, resulting in a rather forgettable experience if not mildly enjoyable in the mood for ambience.

Rating: 2/10

Kanye West "The Life of Pablo" (2016)

 

After waves of internet hype and social media buzz, one of the worlds most popular artists drops his newest ambition exclusively through the unpopular, high fidelity Tidal streaming service. Its his eighth full length record and a distant memory of his illuminated arrival into the Hip Hop scene through record like "The College Dropout" and "Late Graduation". I was vaguely excited for this one, the promotional tracks were mediocre, my expectations were in the balance... but not what did we just get?

King Midas of Greek mythology comes to mind, everything he touches turns to gold and that's his curse. Unfortunately in Kanye's case everything he touches is not turning to gold, and he is oblivious to it. Yeezus gave us a taste of Kanye's growing ego, but on this record its stretches far beyond the over bloated, obnoxious lyrics, hollow and shameless for most of this recorded verses. The record itself shows no signs of a purpose or ambition. The records changing name, the last minute shuffling of tracks, adding an additional eight at just before release and using the outro track as an intro? Where is the idea, the inspiration, direction? It's all an apparent mess. "Name one genius that isn't crazy" says Kanye, I'm convinced he is talking about himself and this sporadic behavior is no work of art.

Track listening and last minute changes aside, its the music that counts and I'm sorry to say this was a sorely disappointing slue of unpolished and sporadic ideas that lacked flow, theme or identity. Instrumentally the beats felt average, they could hold a flow, decorate their environment and on occasions showed a spark of light but there was nothing here to challenge or surprise the listener. Lyrically... well Kanye open's with a few lines about a model bleaching herself? And well... Use your imagination, this record is a unfiltered onslaught of Kanye's over inflated ego going through some loathsome self indulgence. The track "I Love Kanye" seems like a love letter to himself, hes in love with himself, he loves hearing his own voice say his name... I'm poking fun, jokes aside I don't know the man but I want to hear some substance of thought and reflection, I don't care how many sneakers hes sold.

Alongside Kanye's raps there is a fair gripe of irritating autotune that I didn't get along with and I could go on moaning... so I will! Whats with the two Pablos? Which one? Picasso, Escobar? Perhaps this mad, directionless, unfiltered record is some brilliant expression of the obscure parallels between art and crime? There is no lyrical content to suggest it is tied in anyway to the title. I'm done, rant over.

Rating: 2/10

Godspeed You! Black Emperor "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven" (2000)

Here's a record that's been in my rotation for a couple of years now. Hailed as a masterpiece and a classic I've failed to connect with whatever it is other people see in this album. "Lift Your Skinny Fists..." comprises of four lengthy 20 minute songs that entomb Shoegazing Post-Rock numbers inside a vault of murmuring drones and cascading ambiance. As I touched on in my post of "Celestite", such musical works can be a hit or miss even based on the tiniest of discrepancies but in this records case most of the choices in droning distortion guitars and gentle ambiances that grew and shrunk in-between where a turn off. In its quieter, brooding moments I felt little emotion or connection and in its big and dramatic, soaring guitar led Post-Rock drones I felt very little.

Its hard to describe a lack of connection or emotion, or to even pin point why but if somethings are not doing it for you its even harder when the more approachable content is hidden between lengthy intervals of dark, lengthy ambiance and dull drones. Despite my lack of captivation some moments show a sense of theme developing which come with some nice tempo changes that unfold. "Deathkamp Drone" was the most enjoyable piece from the albums fourth track but lost at the end of a ninety minute record it wasn't often I made it that far through. I gave it my time, I do wonder if its age and the context of that time makes it more remarkable but even so this record just wasn't for me.

Rating: 2/10

Killing Joke "Revelations" (1982)

It was back in March of this year that I first gave this record a spin. After listening to their debut "Killing Joke" I moved onto their third and found it very difficult to get into this one. A lack of fidelity in the production made it unsuitable for earphones on a windy walk. Months later on my sound system I was able to distinguish a lot more of what was going on but still felt an absence of something important. With much reluctance I have finished listening to what I hope is the worst Killing Joke record, its pretty appalling, gloomy and tinged with Gothic influences.

The band's charm is in the dissonant guitars, mechanical stop start rhythms and singer Jaz Coleman's distinguished voice. On previous records it all came together with atmosphere, drive and meaning to form memorable songs that introduced new ideas and musical approaches in the Post-Punk scene that's had a profound influence on many bands, mainly Metal & Industrial. Going from the snappy rhythm led hook of "Tension" and anthemic dystopian sing along "Follow The Leaders", the band hit an inspirational bankruptcy on "Revelations". Opening with the mediocre track "The Hum" marks the high point for a stale and drab record which quickly drifts into obscurity.

The spark is missing, and it can be felt sorely after the first two tracks as the discordant guitar fails to ignite any atmosphere. Idea after idea, riff after riff falls hard on itself as obvious injections of "unexpected" sounds creep into the tracks with bells and acoustic guitars in the breaks. The drums pound and grind away uninspired rhythms that lack a groove or any chemistry with the guitars. Jaz's wails away in his own style but like the drums just fails to gel with the guitars and we end up with a collection of misfiring songs that drone through a moody and uninspiring setting.

It feels like the band where going for a darker vibe and focusing on the drone of the discord. In doing so they were unable to create anything memorable on a miserable record that felt like leftovers from a demo. I'm trying to be fair, but Its a poor effort with little chemistry and a lack of direction. There is also the absence of any electronics which in retrospect feels like an even bigger part of their sound. Disappointing, but I'm still keen to get through their discography.

Rating: 2/10

The Diabetic Sandwich "MunchieZ" (2015)

This short three track record is a collaborative effort between four producers from across the globe, uniting under the moniker "The Diabetic Sandwich" to create Hip Hop instrumentals with a broad range of influences from Trap to Jazz Hop and a general Alternative vibe. The group is yet to define itself beyond its stark graphical output of cut n paste photoshop, neon colors and colossal hamburgers. The debut release a short one leaving much to be desired.

"Merlot" feels like the records only fully developed track at just under four minutes. Jazzy pianos, wordless vocal leads and subtle guitars collide with airy, alien synths, Trap hi hats and deep kicks in an unusual chemistry of oddity that displays a charm. The production is a little forceful, pushing the airy synths into the compound samples it feels a little clustered but the ears do adjust. The song moves through a structure fit for verse and chorus and could really be elevated by the presence of a rapper.

"Meatsticks" has a calmer, less ambitious tone. At two minutes it has an interlude vibe as a sturdy beat sample guides a gentle strings and a graceful piano to a quiet conclusion. The production is subtle, the samples work well together and apart from some obvious clarity difference, it all works.

"Cheese Whizzz" is the records most unusal number, throwing layers of lush sound subtleties into the beat with laser firing and explosion sound effects. The drum beat is a little dry and crispy, and there isn't much of a lead sample, just lush airy noises drifting around the beat that doesn't progress anywhere in particular. At 99 seconds it feels like an unfinished beat.

Rating: 2/10