Animals As Leaders "Parrhesia" (2022)

 

Following up on the three tracks of Gordian Naught, Parrhesia's six other songs follow in a typical vein for this band. Complexing instrumentals of rhythmic uncertainty resolving and instrumental aesthetic exploration yielding both unwieldy chunks of reactionary groove and beautifully scenic melodics. My exposure to the original three has perhaps tainted my experience, in the best way possible. To thees ears, the six new cuts have more gratifying shades of color when they blossom and more often too. This makes the churning of the cold polyrythmic density more bearable. The hard drives through the aggressive terrain of tightly jolting deep end guitar noise often leads to lavish explosions of emotion. The guitar tones and texture open up, brightening the mood and self illuminating in tandem with its melodies and chords.

 

A little infusion of synth key arpeggios along the way is a niche touch. Its blooms and respites between are often the most appealing aspect, as the band foray into Post Rock and Metal territory with textural landscapes breaking out of regular riffing structures. The immense talent of these musicians makes it a marvel to unfold in its best passages. The trio can be heard firing on all cylinders, giving all their instrumentation a density that needs unpacking. Drum patterns woven yet groovy and charming, Even some "lighter", acoustic led refrains have a dexterous depth.

The problem for me is the low end guitar work. Initially a draw, something I'm fond of, Animals As Leaders get a little to into themselves on this outing. With the extremes of technicality, polymeasures and oddities as they present them, the pursuit often feels soulless. Thoughts And Prayers a keen example of the choppy chugging getting lost within itself and going on a meaningless tangent. The band is all about swaying between its two temperaments, finding interesting middle ground along the way. For me, the self serving aggression has sadly lost its attraction.

Rating: 6/10

Stellardrone "Between The Rings" (2017)

 

I was somewhat surprised to see I had not written about Stellardrone before. Then again, all their music was released before I started this blog. The exception being this EP which had passed me by, so the opportunity to delve into this unique space was a welcome one. As a self described amateur composer, Edgaras has a distinct emotive sound, competently channeled into a stunning, inspiring experience.

 Its cosmos theme hinted at in title and album art sets a president that's hard not to absorb. Thinking of whats beyond the stars in the great mystery of the universe comes naturally, unless the suggestion aligns perception? These are slow brooding songs that ride the waves and crash into the beaches with big emotional surges once the momentum has built. A mix of soft adorning strings and synths breath in and out as swirling arpeggio melodies pluck away with a computer characteristic to them.

The percussive grooves are held back, lurking in the shadows and slowly fading in to focus, then complimenting the big surges of emotion that arises. Its fine instrumental ambient but on this occasion feels rather bold and ambitious as its humble beginnings become inescapable, the curious endless inspiration of space and time takes over.

Its probably the absence of Stellardrone in rotation that made these five tracks so potent. It was a welcome experience to get back into this sound again. Between them the variety isn't massive, the formula describe plays out with a few aesthetic and compositional differences but its mostly about the meditative mood that can be achieved with their music. And yes, it turns out I had written about this artist before! Seems I made a spelling mistake with the name "Stelladrone", what a derp!

Rating: 6/10

Andromida "Timeless" (2020)

 

Despite many spins, its been difficult to feel out the character of this record. Similar characteristics with the plundering Djent riffs typical of Progressive Metal has its chops of binary chugging grooves falling into a lull as its rhythmic grind becomes dull. The frequent bouncing of notes between the guitars silences is a trick I'm not always enthusiastic about. The distortion tone encroaches on the Doom soundtrack styling fully explored on Hellscape, yet here it mostly feels like a knee jerk reaction, as if its melodic colors always need to exchange with some grizzly surge of aggression.

It would be all to easy to describe Timeless as a bridge between it and Voyager. Although apt, where I think Timeless finds a voice is in its union of soft synths, lush pianos and a lead guitar that sings and wails like an expressive voice would. With this being an instrumental project, the constant intensity lacks a submissive quality putting a big focus on those eruptions of dirty Djent jolting guitars. It often overpowers the slew of melody its blazing lead guitar offers. Behind it the lush, soothing wall of electronic instruments curates a warm and airy timbre that is frequently overwhelmed.

It is the moments of calm and respite that Timeless suddenly feels with purpose and expression. There isn't a lot of it about but when those meaty guitars reel back and one can take in the delicate soundscape behind it, the music feels much more meaningful. Best of all, there are a few passageways where a rapturous guitar solo wages in, tandem with the bright pianos. It feels mesmerizing. Sadly, the record as a whole goes in all guns blazing. This really overloads the senses as its over the top guitars strip out the nuance of the accompanying instruments.

Rating: 5/10

Lycia "Simpler Times" (2022)

I prefer to refrain from discussing singles here on the blog yet I find myself unable to escape this pair of songs. As a lone release with no word of an album in insight, these fruits may remain lonesome for the time being. I would very much like to hear more of the band in this stride, their last release, Casa Luna, had an experimental streak to keep each track interesting. This time the duo, John Fair and Mike Vanportfleet, hone in on tried and true song styles with an indulging, mesmerizing fashion.

Its title track Simpler Times conjures nostalgic vibes reminiscent of Gary Numan, ushering them into a dreamy affair where time drifts away. Its the main melody that shares something special with those classic Numan leads. Its shimmering aesthetic gets carried along by a tight and stiff drum machine. Soft saw synth reinforce the groove and murmuring, whispering vocals drift ghostly above in a wash of deep reverbs. The song is deadly simple yet a pleasure to let loop over and over.

A Far Away Place reaches back to Cold. Its a chilling track, the hazy shoegazing aesthetic brings unease. It toys with the tension in limbo, its dreamy state never feeling settled as the song shuffles between lighter and darker temperaments through its lead melody. Again its a simple construct moved along by another commanding drum machine arrangement that embraces its narrow design. Both songs world serve a fan well, fingers crossed for more soon in the ever approaching future!

Rating: 4/10

The Algorithm "Compiler Optimization Techniques" (2018)

 

Here is an interesting project that initially seems akin to the Djent Progressive Metal scene. Its another one man band operation journeyed by French composer and producer Rémi Gallego. The Algorithm, however, seems fundamentally driven by what initially appears to be aesthetic novelty. The chugging low end Djent guitars are sparse, dropping out for lengths at end. Metal oriented musical ideas play second fiddle to its EDM and Electronic happenings. The chemistry converges on a digital computerized landscape. Sharp precision percussion and whirls of spirally, spriting scaling arpeggio melodies serve a cold mechanical slew of soulless exuberance.

The songs play with binary grooves, fast measures of instrumentation traversing temperaments and tempos seemingly of its own whim with only brief moments of expression and voice. The Algorithm is impressive with its distinct style. Modern glitch sounds flesh out interludes as drives of Djent stomps interchange with whirling synthesizes playing out with a spirit similar to its psychedelic 70s origins. A couple spurious flashes of dance floor groove and other conventions arise along the lengthy journeys but the music mostly plugs away like an automation, a digital intelligence.

This cold, mechanical lifelessness is a double edged sword. Its many arrangements, which each song burns through, come in varying degrees of charm. The lack of physical voice and emotional through line give it little to anchor on. Its perfected VST performances are most often without humanity. Sometimes a wondrous adventure into something alien. At other times its a meaningless grind. A couple of great moment emerged. The end to Sentinel Node gets off an expression with a nightly Synthwave lead to conclude and Fragmentation drops its rapid instruments for a slow tempo brooding of cosmic darkness very akin to Oscillotron, a very welcome familiarity.

Rating: 5/10

Arca "Kick III" (2021)

 

In picking out a peculiar sounding project featured on a top list, I've fumbled into territory truly beyond what makes music tick for me. On first listen I though this might be the most abominable record I've heard in some time. Having stuck with it, I've now grown somewhat matured comments to share on the radical harsh venture this project is. I have no context in which to address this wildly experimental music in relation to the three other chapters of Kick released in daily succession towards the end of 2021.

If this is Arca, AKA Alejandra Rodríguez's normal style, then she is certainly an artist with a distinct voice and vision. One of confrontation, dissonance and discomfort where an emerge of groove or melody from within the dystopian abrasion has alluded me. Two songs have grown on me. Their textural ambiguity and sonic assaults offering a novelty of sorts. The rest of the record sadly dulls with each listen as much of the disorienting tapestry tires in its rebellious circumvention of musical norms.

With harsh electronics, the worlds of Glitch and Noise converge on the back of unconventional, seemingly disjointed and random percussion. Its thudding bass kicks jolt off beat and zaps, buzzes and fuzz replace the rolls of snare and cymbals. Those two rattle without structure. Its more tuneful sounds seem hell bent on subverting melody, each song inducts a random assortment of sounds without direction. After a spin or two many aesthetics becomes very obviously vocalized. There is a plethora of manipulation and plugin work at play here that I could sadly not appreciate.

Once noticed, every kick and and assumed noise has a hint of vocal timbre. Alejandra mostly delivers her Venezuelan lyrics through this manipulation too. If every interesting or musing, its often buried in a dread of brutal dystopian madness. The opening Bruja & Incendio deliver some brash and swift native wordings that become quite enjoyable in their foreign nature. As a strength in the record, its use is minimal.

Beyond its reasonable opening, the record devolves into its own unusual nature, where I could find little beyond the occasional instrumental texture sparking curiosity. There was really nothing for me to resonate with. The critical acclaim makes me feel as if people are appraising the bizarre oddity it is, which is all fair game but I am personally looking for the ground where the oddities abridge an emotional connection with the listener which alluded me entirely. Maybe the continuous dreamy vocalizations on Intimate Flesh came close but that would be all.

Rating: 2/10

The Tiberian Sons "The Only WInning Move" (2022)

  

Approaching this EP with mostly ignorance turned out to be advantageous. Unfamiliar with the four video game soundtrack songs covered here, I found myself blown away by a musicality so fitting with the best that VGM has to offer. Boldly luminous with a Progressive Metal shape similar to Nobuo Uematsu's The Black Mages and oddly reminiscent of Strapping Young Lad. Its ferociously groovy chugging assaults from the low end distortion guitar are a godsend! These covers just simply slay hard!

Where are my manors? I know of The Tiberian Sons through Frank Klepacki and their involvement in the Command & Conqueror soundtrack remasters. They did a great job of breathing some fresh air into classic songs of my youth that quite frankly didn't need it, welcome none the less tho. These covers show of their competency as a group to deliver a riveting and modern Metal aesthetic for brilliantly composed songs.

My ignorance shields me from the depth of how they transformed the original material but for the time being I'd like to keep it that way. Jived up with jazzy live band sounds, everything is fleshed out with a dazzle as synths, organs, trumpets and strings chime in to forge an animated metallic orchestra. Its a treat, still striding with blazing guitar solos and big guitar riffs, these songs scale the peaks with a colorful majesty and might, cramming in so much instrumentation, all crooning in the same direction.

This is at least true for the first three songs. The final Dank Memelords Power Metal Remix has that sweet chemistry thrown off balance. Its particularly piercing and domination drums, the focus on distortion guitars, it overpowers the symphony and electronics also present. The clean vocals are rather piercing too, not to my taste. Its a decent track but lacks the nuance that came before, leaning to hard into the Power Metal cliches. Those first three are Stella songs however! Well worth your time.

Rating: 7/10

Dagoba "By Night" (2022)

 
Having enjoyed the relative mediocrity of lead single On The Run, the bands newest and eight full length offers little more than the same tone set by its lead up release. By Night might parade past with a few scenic interludes and Synthwave adjacent electronic sparkles but the core of its music is as to be expected. The group aim sights on the more approachable spectrum of modern metal with simple song structures, attempting catchy hooks. Front man Shawter's rough and ragged singing struggles with them at every turn, his screams during aggressive stints competent but when reaching for cleans and melodic his ragged delivery lacks both tone and ability.

The record plays into a typical Synthwave theme, the nightlife, lit by neon lights which the lyrics quite explicitly state on one of the songs. It gives the music an easy vibe, something that passes by swiftly with little effort as the sways between jolts of stomping groove and moody, drawn out power chord strumming. The latter is where the main melodies hinge, often with the aid of subtle electronics that reinforce the vision through aesthetic. Its somewhat weak however, not finding a magic.

I've enjoyed each listen but I have been far from impressed or even excited. At this stage the band are in a comfort zone, lurking in the shadows of Metals drive into more Pop adjacent sensibilities. On all fronts its mediocrity at best. Nothing offensive but lacking any melodies that grab or even heavy grooves as most the bombast and low end guitar riffing ends up cornered by the mid tempo drives the album cruises on consistently. What their trying to achieve beyond proven means isn't paying off.

Rating: 4/10

Judas Priest "Turbo" (1986)

 

Feeling nostalgic and adventurous for more Heavy Metal, I thought id check out the controversial record released a couple years before Ram It Down. I barely listened to Turbo in my youth as it was often cited as their worst album. Interestingly it made for a commercial peak at the time. Title track Turbo Lover is also a cracking classic they still play live to this day. The critique I remember used to focus on the inclusion of synths, something they had not done so bold before. Having given it a good go, the electronics are barely a fraction of whats wrong with Judas Priest's tenth, Turbo.

 Softening the edges of their metallic might and looking for anthemic vibes in all the wrong places, Priest essentially miscalculate their strengths. Pivoting to themes more fitting of partying, excess and love. The records overall tone seems have one foot in the Glam Metal trend of the time. Every song brings a bigger than life attitude looking for the sing along stride of the time, which on paper it achieves but the you can sense the crowd pleasing lyrics falling flat. Oddly, this isn't too far from their kettle of fish but Halford's lyrics just don't strike a nerve. He doesn't feel authentic or real, often awkward or uncomfortable. its as if he is on auto pilot at someone else's show.

Its all so odd, song after song checks all the boxes yet it plays through a musical uncanny valley. The big riffs rock hard and wild guitar solo's blaze over top with that classic Downing & Tipton shred but it never escapes the gravity of its own softened tone. The old school analog synths don't flip the scale in either direction. On a couple of songs they are more prevalent but its mostly a soft aesthetic dressing. It is the Glam persona they attempt to take on that's mostly to blame. Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days is probably the best example. Halford crams all the lyrical cliches in but despite his phenomenal presence as a timeless front man, It doesn't suit them.

Turbo is a strange experience. On one hand I do kind of love the overt cheesiness, more so the delivery than words. On the other, it all plays with an awkward misfire that fails to land emotionally. The album does deliver another cracking tune tho. Locked In just about beats the Turing test. Its big crooning guitar notes and warm bass drive is a gorgeous moment. The synth break before the solos is fun too. Its no secret as to why this one is so contentious but that's nothing to do with the electronics. Its the song writing and lyrics to be blamed. I'm glad I checked Turbo out but I wont be returning.

Rating: 4/10

Author & Punisher "Krüller" (2022)

 

 Krüller is fantastic. It had me going back to Beastland to feel the difference, which is colossal. Author & Punisher is an Industrial musician with an edge. Using his own custom built VST controllers, Author manifests a physicality to his music. The punishing landscapes of weighty mechanical monotony birthed through sweat and tears. Beastland had a unruly harshness about it. With time, it faded from memory. Krüller on the other hand opens up with streaks of color nestled between its slow grudging strikes of percussion. His voice, now melodic and sustaining, gushes with painful emotions. Alongside the streaking synths that burst brief sparkles of reprieve, it becomes a memorable craft. The best of this musician I've heard to date so far.

Although this mostly speaks to the opening song, the through line is often the relation between voice and what offerings of melody come by. The record is dense in atmosphere, a wash of fuzz and static broken apart by the smashes of snares and collisions of kicks as its percussion arrives with a force overcoming any obstacle. They drag and groan, slugging with a lethargic crawl that subtly gives way to the fuzzy atmospheres as the record broods with each passing song. Through its lengthy drives, often six or more minutes, creeps of resolve briefly emerge, always fizzling back to the shadows. Its a burdensome experience. One worth enduring for its glimmers of hope.

Glorybox is my favorite song. The gravitas of pain the album encompasses initially had me hearing it as a transsexual expression. The cries of "Give me a reason to be a woman, I just want to be a woman" so harrowing and wrought with anguish. It mirrored pains of bodily identity, however turned out to be a cover of Portishead's original. Now I know it, I can hear the difference in the music, best revealed by the guitar solo. It still is a remarkable cover on a brilliant record that may be a little to weighty to remember every moment with the same thrill of its better parts. It must be said its peaks soar to a punishing and unique place you wont forget in a hurry.

Rating: 7/10

Kero Kero Bonito "Bonito Generation" (2016)

Following their debut mixtape Intro Bonito, the London trio known as Kero Kero Bonito polish their sound for a sophomore effort that rides the curtails of their quirky warm persona. Bonito Generation doesn't stylistically evolve as much as its aesthetics are refined with a touch more welcoming tone. Stagnation seems prevalent, conjuring similar moods and feelings from their smiley place of simple thoughts and life's innocence. It doesn't pack quite the punch with surprise no longer being a factor.

That's not to say its a bad record but both the instrumentation and lyrical themes roll off lukewarm as the tracks are packaged into simpler song structures. Slower melodies, gentler percussion and a sense of safeness permeate. Bonito Generation is less adventurous, lacking creativity and sparkle. Thus Sarah's easy expressions of her college life tend to lull into a mediocrity. At its most off track, the band infuse casual communications and Japanese lyrics but its not the saving grace the music needs.

Trampoline is the records best track as the simplistic language and metaphor finds a space to feel a tad absurd when it revolves around the jumping mat. The song has a little more of a club vibe with its colorful synths and tight percussion, something one or two other tracks do but its not enough to give the record edge. This one really hides in the shadow of its predecessor, somewhat of an autopilot experience. Its competent, enjoyable but lacks the dazzle of Intro Bonito.

Rating: 5/10

Andromida "Hellscape" (2021)

 Naturally my enjoyable experience with Voyager had me curious for more. Clicking play on Hellscape, I immediately knew what would be next on the playlist. Kicking of with Havoc, the album blasts off with a banger of bouncy low end djent riffs and siren synths painting the hellscape its title suggests. The album art too hints at whats in store, as this particular approach to Metal with a heavy dose of dystopian Industrial synths is in tribute to composer Mick Gordan and his atmosphere defining Doom Eternal soundtrack, which aesthetically caved itself a niche in the Metal universe.

Sadly, others replicating this fusion of textural guitar barrages and hellish saw synths on overdrive tends to be hit and miss. Opening with its best track by some distance, Havoc embodies the best of this aesthetic. For the album experience Hellscape feels constrained by the narrowing options sticking to such a temperament imposes. Unable to escape the drive of eight string might and gravity warping synths, its flushes of string symphony always tied down to the monstrous weight of its dark demonic roots.

Subtle club drum grooves and nightly Synthwave vibes emerge on the journey. scenic guitar melodies expand horizons but the climax always falls back to the chug riffs and evil slam of the synths. As the album draws on, I'm reminded of Skrillex and the Dubstep drop fad, as the machinations of these two seem to get progressively more random and obnoxious in search of new grounds it never quite lands upon.

Only briefly on a couple of occasions does the intensity let up for some atmosphere. The respite serves it well but as the demonic onslaught marches on, it becomes clear this is a tribute to the game. It feels like a compliment to the Doom experience, the unrelenting tensions and onset of dread as demonic hordes descend feels intentional. Hellscape is a love letter to the style from a very competent musician and producer. Unfortunately for me, the style doesn't quite amount to more than the sum of its parts.

Rating: 6/10

Animals As Leaders "Gordian Naught" (2022)

 

Now approaching six years since The Madness Of Many, this technical trio led by the trailblazing Tosin Abasi and his phenomenal guitar skills, have another album set for release next month. I'm unaware as to if these tracks will grace the record but I must comment that a preference is to be found in this trio of songs in a shorter context. Without a vocalist, looping structures and repetitions often feel drawn out despite the magnetism the band have. At eleven minutes, Gordian Naught is a bite sized delight of the latest cuts from the Animals As Leaders camp.

Sadly, despite much enjoyment, the needle has not moved far in terms of style. The group are still exploring the veracity of timely executions dissecting chugging rhythm and dense aesthetic. Often abstract guitar and bass noises become a facade for extreme polyrhythms and dissonant grooves. The percussion is a particular persistence of ambidexterity. A technical feet of ability, weaving in detailed beats flush with delicate intricacies around the battering picking sequences.

Its best moments are at the intersection with convention. Luminous colors arise from its electronic synths or melodic lead guitars, breaking up the impressive but monotonous drives of its intricate rhythms. These moments are gorgeous, open and expansive. Pivoting from the dark and mechanical into streams of uplift and light. Its jazzy, emotional and soothing yet doesn't come along often enough.

Title track Gordian Naught is the chugging powerhouse concluding with a mighty discordant breakdown. The Problem Of Other minds opens up the colors with synths and leads. Monomyth then elaborates further, its curious background bells giving its grooves feeling. As it drives harder into the mechanical feet, its pivot out feels more gratifying. In that moment it is the most satisfying, better of these new songs.

Rating: 3/10

Andromida "Voyager" (2018)

By name and title alone one can figure out theme and inspiration, its album cover a further confirmation of cosmic awe and wonder. Hitting play for its fifty minute voyage, one is lured in through a subtle layer of atmospheric synths as glossy pianos and a punchy drum machine ramp up the energy for rhythmic djent guitars to slam in with slabs of momentum. Swiftly do the hall marks of a one man, Progressive Metal project emerge. The lack of any vocal presence, the perfectly sequenced drum patterns and excessively proficient guitar skills. Initially a little shy out the gate, New Worlds fully immerses us in its guitar acrobatics and metallic aggression. Swirls of rapid fret-board tapping and polyrhythmic low note chugs kick into full gear.

Not a record to maintain intensity consistently, the songs navigate an arsenal of rhythmic assault riffs diving into the deep end of djent's obnoxious nature. It does so through many lulls and shifts that pivot from drives of ambitious Metal chops to the soft glowing ambience of its backdrop. Often compromised of serine strings, subtle synths, glitchy electronic noises and an ever present luscious piano melody, it straddles the two opposites with a middle ground led by big guitar chord strumming that unites its elements. It can fluctuate in a moments notices, jumping from the calm persuasive into flurries of powerful guitar led activity with all in between.

Its the lack of a vocal presence making this unironically feel a little less human, more observational, which its fitting to its space theme. The cosmos is a place that often seems still and majestic, yet its reality is a violet concoction of elemental forces. Initially this disparity in consistency felt empty, yet grew to be the records charm as the guitar became its voice and the shifts in density more welcoming with each listen. The whole experience now play like a soundtrack, I can focus on some other task as the magic churns away mighty conjuring in the background with its swells.

Andromida's brilliance is earned through repetition as its cold mechanical inclination, led by the drum machine, steadily gives way to craftily forged songs that hold one in its vision. I'm reminded of the genius Gru, with his timely djent riffs and swirls of luminous melody derived from tapping sequences. Its approach to atmosphere through the current trend of electronic stylings similar to that of Shade Empire. Although similarities with both, the constant twinkle of piano notes and airy symphonic backdrop gives it a real character of its own fir for the universe.

Rating: 7/10

Pop Will Eat Itself "Dos Dedos Mis Amigos" (1994)

This has been a wonderful "of the era" journey, now arriving at its final destination. Although it makes sense, I didn't expect them to land on an Industrial Rock tangent. Reshaping the 90s genre blending style, Pop Will Eat Itself build their eclectic on the backbone of rumbling baselines, cold distortion guitars and a mechanical percussive might. With a colorful infusion of electronic tones it otherwise sticks close to an Industrial blueprint. All except Familus Horribilus, a soap box statement shouted through megaphone raps with the Beastie Boys scent. They take aim at the royal family with political commentaries on the families affairs of the time, naming names and airing grievances at heritage and tax burdens. The instrumental is a fun surge of jive and warmth among a cold, metallic tinged record of subtle rhythmic forces.

Across its eleven tracks the music comes in various shades of intensity and experimentation with some detour into more sample oriented percussive tracks with break loops and the like. Everything's Cool has an obvious riff inspiration from Ministry's classic Thieves. Most remarkable is the opening Ich Bin Ein Auslander. Predating Rammstein by a year, its deployment of the German language and a stomping Kashmir alike riff seems like some bizarre foreshadowing of the Neue Deutsche Härte sound. Surely its just an odd coincidence right?

Either way Dos Dedos Mis Amigos is a decent record if your into the Industrial Rock sound. Nothing exception though, a couple of better songs with a few mediocre cuts too. Its undoubtedly the most consistent in tone, funneled through a production that struggles in patches with its layering of sounds. Which is notably less dense this time around, relying more on the drive of its mechanical rhythms and sharp distortion guitars. I'm aware the band reunited for another record but I'll put a pin in that for now.

Rating: 6/10

Lords Of Acid "Lust" (1991)

 

Deep into an obscure spotify playlist, I Sit On Acid immediately caught my attention with its sexually provocative intro leading into a obnoxious romp of darkly astral synths and hypnotic driving rhythms. I'd read up on the Belgium group Lords Of Acid many moons ago. Back then, they never sparked my interest but with my current pursuit of new sounds, this aggressive Electro-Industrial adjacent take on House and Dance known as New Beat has been a fascinating experience, if not a crass one.

The crude sexual themes and controversy it probably stirred at the time are little more than a smirking gloss on the music to give it another feisty edge. The instrumentals already do the heavy lifting here. What I've discovered is powerful and dense. Hard hitting saw waves and buzzing synths sound far more intense and aggressive than anything I've heard for this era before. Bold obnoxious keys are crammed in layers, squeezed between the relentless punching percussion with its classic Dance hi-hats. This is classic club and rave music for drugs and much more no doubt.

These harsh aesthetics make for a mini cacophony of attitude with decadent melodies and mean bass lines being rotated into focus. Nestled in are samples and fantastic yet cliche early 90s singing from Jade 4U. If you've spent any time with this era you'll hear too many tones and samples to count. There is obviously some keyboards, sample packs and software of the time that were heavily used and done to great effect!

 At sixty minutes it can test ones own tolerance, the jagged nature of the music feels incessant if not your primary cup of tea. I'm mostly blown away by how dark and dirty this music is for the year of its release. Its another missing piece in the musical puzzle. Of the praises I preach, I mostly talk to a handful of songs like I Sit On Acid that nail the vibes. Other songs struggle to land on such enthralling soundscapes, the track Hey Ho! being an oddity as it fails to incorporate Disney's seven dwarfs thematically. Overall Lust has got mediocrity with a few sparkly gems poking out between.

As for its crude nature it mostly feels harmless and fun, tongue in cheek for fun yet the self evident theme on closing track "I Must Increase My Bust" is contentious when it comes to self image and the damaging effects of comparison with others. Apart from that one blemish, this record has been a grooving blast! Such a niche discovery.

Rating: 6/10

Dark Sky "Othona" (2017)

 

My resistance to the algorithm was foolish! Once again I've been served up a fantastic electronic artist delving into the Ambient, Ethereal, Downtempo vibes that I just adore! Othona is a soothing record of deceptive simplicity and meditation, a series of soft synth resonances exploring unraveling energies. Gently gathering its gusto, these surges of groove and melody flourish out of the soothing states, morphing into animated flashes of color, sometimes in passive friction with its slight dissonance.

These tones and aesthetics achieved through configuration of saw waves and synth osculations, seem to always carry a slight unease. Its as if something is always marginally out of tune yet also fostered by the other instruments, at a distance. The vision and inspiration at play is clear and thus births a sweet magic from this careful curation of the subtle dissonance. Its brilliantly handled, steered to a warm place.

Othona's array of buzzing synths aren't the soul focus! Across this record, the pace holding percussion often morphs into classic House and Dance beats with deep pumping bass and tight shuffling grooves. Its always a gentle process, as much of the music incrementally grows through the motions, so do the percussive lines. It allows these songs to be in a consistent state of evolution, moving us from calming serine meditative soundscapes into easy crooning Downtempo drives of flow.

I'm impressed at how this record comes together. Song after song holds my attention with a soothing nature. I could drawn attention to some similarities in style with other artists but I really think Dark Sky holds their own for the most part. Just one song, Angels, could hold a candle to Brian Eno's legendary An Ending (Ascent), as quite the comparable vibes emanate. This one is worth checking out if you're even mildly curious from my words. The mood it educes is worth it alone. Great Stuff!

Rating: 7/10

Pop Will Eat Itself "The Looks Or The Lifestyle" (1993)

 

I think I've developed a mildly amusing "love hate relationship" with Pop Will Eat Itself! I'm undoubtedly leaning on the love side however their "of the era" occasionally sours. It often depends on the mood. This Is The Day struck the perfect stride of nostalgia, a wild crossover that nailed early Hip Hop and the shape of Metal at the time. Since then, they have not stuck in one place stylistically. Its been hit and miss, The Looks Or The Lifestyle seems like a response to the emergence of Grunge as an update in band chemistry has prominent distortion guitars on almost every track of the album.

Continuing on with the 90s Dance and Electronic scene sounds, the group find a more consistent fusion with grungy guitars, lively percussive breaks and an injection of electronic instruments reflecting the era. Its bold and unabashedly 90s, often a little cringe in its early shout raps, the British accents sung strong. The record rolls out with a strong string of tracks, pumping drums charge forth, a wall of samples and synths thrive between dynamic guitars and powerful baselines. It leads into their most popular charting song, known as Get The Girl! Kill The Baddies!

Performed by stabbing melodic drum synths hits, its main melody is a turn off in an otherwise decent track. I think its theme that births it success, essentially riffing on tropes from the perspectives of a movie character. The album starts to diversify after. Guitar tones get shaken up. The sampling and synths reach into new territory, arriving at Urban Futuristic. Its a hard hitting mash up of early Drum n Bass, Thrash Metal and bizarre cheesy synth tones. What it lacks for in classic it makes up for in ambition!

Its this string of gutsy tracks, fun experimentation and bold crossovers that get the thumbs up from me. After them, the final four cuts stagnate in quality, drifting into the tired and dated. It feels intentional that the best material is front loaded. Left a little soured, they exaggerate the cheese its great songwriting diverted early on. With just one record left before their split in 1996, it will be a sound place to conclude the journey having been fed to full on this reflective nostalgia exploration.

Rating: 6/10

Aurora "The Gods We Can Touch" (2022)

 

For the last two and a half weeks I've been rather engrossed In Aurora's latest offering. Its a warm invitation into a keen world of bright enduring melodies and fantastical sincere singing. Forged with a little folkish charm, it remains grounded and authentic. Once again Aksnes's voice carries a tune so powerfully, illuminating the already glowing notation of her well crafted backing instrumentals. Much of the music rests on a subtler moody sombre side, with these periodic bold strides into Electropop territory, stirring an excitement she remedies with words sung sublimely.

Picking apart the particulars of ones voice is a service words can't quite achieve but she has swiftly become one of my all time favorites. On this outing the performance expands with lyrical themes becoming more personal and intimate than I recall before. A handful of songs feel rather direct and vulnerable, an insight to personal struggles. Its endearing, bringing more humanity and passion to the music, less lofty in concept and theme. Not a sole focus, it arrives in balance with ideas more common for her.

The album has a great sense of flow, many moments of Ethereal calm seem to intersperse the jovial strides, as perky melodies played on pianos, strings and all between ride the surges of energy that arise. The compositions are expertly crafted with percussion guiding the songs through organic calms to then give its main moments more punch. Production is wonderful too, everything feels snugly fit in with reverberations perfectly measured to give the music depth and resonance.

 At fifteen minutes, things do fizzle out. A handful of the last few songs feel underwhelming in comparison. Its final song, A Little Place Called The Moon, has an experimental temperament. Aurora makes it work but the end result seems so different from anything before it. Its a hazy passage that seems the record off on a ghostly note. The Gods We Can Touch isn't perfect but I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here and its packed with some new favorites to return to on occasion!

Rating: 8/10

Kero Kero Bonito "Intro Bonito" (2013)

Dazzled by the dense musical exuberance of Civilization II, I now venture back to Kero's origins. This debut mixtape, Kero Bonito, was quite the surprise! A warm, happy and pleasant record finding its inspirations in the mundane and putting a quirky spin on its simple themes. This take shapes on two fronts. Singer Sarah Perry, often interchanging Japanese and English, sings slightly spoken accounts of many passages of daily life, distilling simple thoughts and concepts into plain language. Its charming, carrying no burdens or hardship, an innocent, carefree and fun little journey.

Instrumentally this spirit is captivated wonderfully by its embrace of often bold and cheesy synths from decades past. Drums punch and kick away in lean environments with a handful of chirpy synths chiming in, often punctuated by timely pauses for brief silences. Sprinkled with cultural and stock samples between its shuffling grooves, the themes draw from a variety of nostalgia and foreign places. Housed in great compositions, its brash boldness is truly endearing. Even the use of old 8-bit cat and dog synthesized effects bashed obnoxiously come across as good spirited fun.

 

Its an oddball record, a mad house of silliness landing on a genuine warmth. Not purely quirky though, flushes of creativity and dexterous keyboard playing inject bursts of magic on occasion. Its also quite colorful, bright and uplifting, a record to steer your mind firmly away from anything troubling. My favorite track has to be Babies Are So Strange. Everything about this song is silly yet in a great spirit, landing with a slight sense of tongue in cheek deepness on the "Child producing machine, that's what nature has designed me to be" line. This record has been a breath of fresh air, so fun and easy going!

Rating: 7/10