My Top 10 Music Discoverys In 2021

 As mentioned in yesterdays Top 10 Albums Of 2021 post, I've been in a rut! There is however a rather nice list of artists here, even if the short list was just as small. Three of these are a regular features on my Twitch streams too! So on that front I'd say its a success. I have decided however to be far more fussy when it comes to listening to the same bands still pedaling out the same old music. Its time to give a little more focus on whats fresh and new! I say this often but this time I have a plan of action that starts with reduction.


(10) Secret Stairways

The exploration of Dungeon Synth continues to be an interesting one. Its roots before the online explosion of Bandcamp records a decade ago seems to have fans unearthing lost relics. These newly surfaced cassettes have us enjoying a deceased musicians work from a time before there was much of an audience to enjoy it. An interesting sentiment but the music is good too!

(9) Tetrarch

Initially I wrote this band off for its formulaic creation of era inspired Nu-Metal. A lack of originality doesn't necessarily mean bad music. It can be a tough thing to look past but with time passing from my initial assessment, I've found myself really enjoying this record and getting those nostalgic youthful chills too!

(8) Chevelle

Very much of the Tool inspired camp, the reference point has helped me find a way in! Its a new breed of metal for me and with little else of familiarity, I've really enjoyed this bands take on the Progressive and Alternative Metal sound. Originality is not a strength but the whole approach is fun and exciting for me right now.

(7) Arcanist

Another Dungeon Synth record but this one is way more inline with what I'd like to hear. A new taken on the genre that infuses "Berlin School" synth ideals and paints an exciting soundscape with its progressive songs that move together on a journey. It was a short but sweet journey and is now very much one to look out for future releases.


(6) Cocteau Twins

Not a new discovery but an intentional deep dive into an artist I knew of two records already. Sadly, the plunge into both an extensive amount of EPs and albums went a bit sideways as fatigue quickly set in. I will pick up the journey again at some point. It was however a really nice experience to get a bigger picture of a band with timely influences felt in the decades that followed them. Treasure is still an all time favorite of mine but now I got to add a few more songs to the list.


(5) Pop Will Eat Itself

As a huge fan of Metal and Hip Hop it is practically an embarrassment to have never stumbled on this British act before. There 80s crossover of the two opposed sounds is just wonderful! A true moment in time capturing the energy, spirit and culture of that era like a musical time capsule. Its dated in the very best of ways!


(4) Gelure

Having had permissions to stream this artist, my love of the music really settled in as its relaxing ambience and warmness creates a wonderful relaxed state that comes along with waffling about whatever is on your chest for hours on end. It suited the experience so well my worry now is that I might listen too it too much. A good problem to have!

(3) Jim Kirkwood

Another from the streaming list, Jim has been on a "Dungeon Synth origins" list of mine for years. Finally pulling that trigger, I have now discovered wondrous world building music that has an ancient nostalgic charm, built on those classic keyboard tones without the steering into darkness that is all to common now. The Tolkien themes and general vibes of the music is very Dungeons and Dragons and that stream of imagination is my cup of tea!

(2) Lena Raine

To extend the simply enigmatic music of C418 and his Minecraft soundtracks would of once sounded like an impossible task yet Lena has stepped into that space wonderfully well. Reflecting many of the old ideals and injecting some of her own personality, it seemed likely her genius would extend beyond contributions to the soundtrack. That has certainly turned out to be true and I am now deadly excited to check out her debut album!

(1) The Alan Parsons Project

For all the Progressive Rock I was raised with, The Alan Parsons Project was not a part of that picture. It is however a perfect fit for that era and thus I've had the odd nostalgic experience of discovering new songs that remind me so fondly of my childhood music. Its as if I knew these songs already. A novel and rare experience that I've treasured working my way through the three records considered to be his best. I think I'll has a couple more to the playlist at some point next year!

My Top 10 Albums Of 2021

 
On reflection Its felt like a somewhat uneventful year musically. Now into the second year of this pandemic, the isolation and lack of normality has had me listening to less music and more podcasts. With seventy one records to pick from, it didn't take long for me to sus this list out with only thirteen or so making an impact. Thus the list reflects my taste with only two new artists of which one was more out of my comfort zone than the other. Its always my ambition to find new music each year but given the current circumstances I feel like I'm in a music rut of sorts, listening to to similar sounds.


(10) Hypocrisy "Worship" link

Speaking of similar sounds, its been far too long since I've had a dose of the Hypocrisy sound. Their return was a welcome one, delivering a class set of songs that riffed hard and recycled the vibes they are known for. I can't fault it, I've enjoyed Worship plenty of times since. I can only think of a missed opportunity for the paranoia themes to have more of a potency in our age of misinformation however It is more likely myself that has a different viewpoint from that of my youth when I found them.


(9) Malcom Horne "Infinity Volume II" link

Malcom's music was an instantaneous click for me. The first Infinity volume felt rather varied in focus and quality but had its mesmerizing moments too. This second installment has a focus, music for streamers! Now a regular feature on my own streams, the consistency of this larger basket of songs holds up well and continues to provide chilled classy vibes to relax with.


(8) Little Simz "Sometimes I Might Be Introvert" link

As a big, bold and ambitious record, Introvert has a few bumps in the journey that maybe held it back a little in terms of my personal taste. The good news is that I've enjoyed this one plenty since, which is the recurring point of this blog. The new and novel can often fade from ones conscious with time but this one held up! The rapid narratives and expressive excursions of thought she drives on with the opening songs is still a marvel!


(7) Billie Eilish "Happier Than Ever" link

A strong return for one of musics biggest starts. Happier Than Ever isn't quite as remarkable as When We Fall Asleep, however Billies strength of character and maturity is! Some of the lyrical themes here are so refreshing where Pop music it can often be fraught. I also think the stride for a little more musical diversity may have been a bit and miss but better to stride in new directions than stay in a comfort zone. Looking forward to more in the years to come!


(6) Turnstile "Glow On" link

I've been tempted to put their EP Turnstile Love Connection in this list. Its essentially the best cuts from Glow On, which in its strides to infuse Hardcore with some other influences, wobbled its way over the victory line. Its often the more Hardcore leaning cuts I enjoy as the vibrant energy they exude fades a little on the experimental cuts. One thing is for sure they are still swinging hard and one to keep a watch on.


(5) Spellling "The Turning Wheel" link

Spellling was quite the enthralling experience! A chemistry sounds reaching far in different directions and reassembling the influences like a breeze. On one had you can relax with the music and enjoy the wonderful songwriting. On the other you can get analytical and dissect, where a trove of interesting ideas is to be found both aesthetically and in the writing. Great record, sadly I didn't feel the same of Mazy Fly.


(4) Deafheaven "Infinite Granite" link

Of all the records on this list I must confess that Infinite Granite is one I have not returned to but its impression was a remarkable one. The reception was a bit mixed among fans but I was personally blown away as this engulfing musical experience unraveled. The cleaner vocals and 80s influences were a niche touch delivering an organic record with some intriguing extremes.


(3) Nas "King's Disease II" link

As one of Hip Hop's greatest, Nas has been exceedingly consistent in a genre often victim to high starts that trail off. With Illmatic he has a debut that could never be peaked but that hasn't stopped him from delivering quality and his inspirations has been stoked again thanks to fruitful collaborations with producer Hit-Boy. This second installment was a remarkable into some of his best rhymes in decades. Fantastic narratives and insightful expressions give it an endearing impression. I'd be keen to put this in his top three records and with a third installment on the way there will be more to enjoy but this chapter will be hard to top!


(2) Ministry "Moral Hygiene" link

Ministry have been a favorite "later discovery" of mine for some time now. The sort of band that would have fit perfectly into my youthful tastes. AmeriKKant was a welcome return at the time, now a little worn out, this new installment Moral Hygiene tackled the current social political climate again. This time around the mood and tone was class. Musically, it is more varied and interesting, wrapping with a stunning spectacle of an ending as the death toll keeps rising! I was blown away and am still this one!


(1) Lil Nas X "Montero" link

Never had picking my favorite record for a year been so easy. I was simply blown away by this record. Lil Nas X is an interesting artist, with much to say while captivating a mainstream audience in the process. Its not a place I'd expect to find so much musical maturity, yet here it is! A diverse record that balances popular light weight trap beats with a country tang primed to detour into experimental places that blossomed stunning songs. Its a remarkable record, setting a high bar for him, however the quality of songwriting here suggests this is no fluke. A follow up could be just as good!

Cranes "Self-Non-Self" (1989)

 

It would appear that once again I've been roped into another musical journey, spurred on by a spontaneous shuffle discovery. These always seem to be the best ways in. A captured curiosity is better than a forced one and turning back to this debuting, self released mini album, the intrigue has certainly grown. When reading up on this band, to my surprise the Industrial genre is rarely mentioned... How odd?

Perhaps it is my frame of reference at play here but the drive of jolted mechanical percussive rhythms and the cold pounding baseline noise give me strong Industrial feels. At this point Cranes also seem closer to Post-Punk, a pivotal musical period that would act as an umbrella term for many musical directions that sprung from it. Much like Wings Of Joy, Self-Non-Self toys with darkened atmospheres, journeyed by Shaw's innocent voice which on this occasion feels a little more mischievous.

 The songs are baron and bare. Its opening instrumental One From The Slum has a more upbeat pace with cheeky trumpet strikes chiming in. Swiftly tho the music crawls to the bleak with Beach Mover painting a hellish setting with mechanical whip cracks and deep metallic strikes of noise. Its a despairing soundscape from which the following music livens up in comparison. Cranes have their own niche of despair.

The darkness they explore is almost Gothic at times yet their approach currently reels them into their own space. The live recording of Reach is a highlight as the inclusion of shrill tremolo picked guitar leads over a lunging two power chord shift adds a mesmerizing quality to the atmosphere. Without it, the music would probably fit in a little more with the earlier tracks. So far I have enjoyed these songs but I am not sure it has much staying power in this form. I am however very curious to see where it all goes with that Dream Pop label hanging curiously overhead.

Rating: 5/10

Devin Townsend "The Puzzle" (2021)

 

Having heard the story of The Puzzle unfold through The Devin Townsend Podcast, this album is an expected disappointment. That's not to say the music here isn't to be enjoyed but It seems the activity at play hasn't produced anything special other than a meandering ambient detour. It groans and croaks with oddities between its often smoothed out exterior. It felt like this would be the case. Hit by last years lock-down woes, Devin set out to collaborate with his colleagues online, given the situation.

Stumbling into his own musical puzzle, Dev found himself intrigued by the task of assembling together all the pieces his fellow musicians sent him. As suspected, the curiosity of such an interesting and difficult task mostly remains with him alone. For this listener, the outlines of each piece are blurry and its final composition seems more like wedged pieces lining up to be stretched and twisted into shape than a picture.

The Ambient framework is a crutch that has an array of bold musical ideas punching through its pale tranquility. From whirls of machinery electronics, to guttural shouts and spoken word. Pan flute adventures, whispering vocals and choirs in unison. Dramatic pianos, animated drum fills and frenetic Saxophone leads. These wild variety of contributions never quite escape themselves, however which such a deep web of sounds, its hard to know where his contemporaries parts start and end.

With that though comes a fair helping of obvious offerings that get wedged in, feeling indifferent and out of step with the vibe and pace, mostly because it meanders and uses foggy washes of sound to transition and move in any direction. It all just feels a little meaningless and where Dev leans on his traditional stylings, they too emerge from the haze rather than setting structure and form which would off aided this greatly. As said, this was a expected disappointment. A difficult task for any musician. I didn't expect much other than a couple of curious listens and that is all I got.

Rating: 4/10

Arkhtinn "二度目の災害" (2021)

 

Translated as Second Disaster, this latest Arkhtinn installment was a typical blasting of exhilarated, ferocious Black Metal from the cosmic void. To break format with its often Dark Ambient counterpart, both halves, two meaty twenty plus minute songs, are comprised extreme music led in by the beeping of Morse Code. The second track always strikes me as the better of the pair. Its resounding thumps of chunky groove and slick pedal kicks haunted by ghastly screams brings about a rhythmic distinction to an otherwise endless romp of blast beats and deathly guitar shredding.

Before it reaches that all too common intensity, the song embellishes a little Burzum alike discordance, something I would liked to of heard more of. Instead the howling choirs of fallen angels aligns with its perpetual plunges into darkness, competing with itself in a race to the bottom. The song structure and writing feels more apparent. Perhaps this is the first occasion I feel as if its low fidelity aesthetic holds things back. I'm reminded a little of Dimmu Borgir's PEM record as its fantastical darkly synths paint quite the wondrous madness within its hellish onslaught of crushing sound. After a while, the theme and search of new peaks to scale does get a bit tiresome as its main ideas circle back on themselves for a conclusion.

The first track explores a similar dimension with plenty of whirling astral synths buried between instruments. It comes through with some strong Industrial rhythmic chops and plenty of breaks in the flow with ambient interludes and build ups that loose sight of the bigger structure in its lengthy stay. Again its residing in furious intensities can be a bit grinding and the shifts can feel a little sudden in execution, rather than natural and flowing. All in all, the music follows the path laid out and given this Darkspace inspired sound is still interesting to me, its was a fun experience, however as always, new ideas and progression for the sound would be most welcome.

Rating: 6/10

Cranes "Wings Of Joy" (1991)

 

For the past ten days or so I've stewed over this one with repetitious intent. Songs like Thursday, Sixth Of May & Adoration anchor its slumped, dreary atmosphere in a deceptively subdued yet morbid setting. They sway in a mesh of mesmerizing tracks as musical frictions arise. Surges of jolting, broody piano chords, stabbed with solemn pains. Gritty frazzled guitars deliver drives of dissonance. Patrolling, devious base lines stalk with a shivering intent. In the degrees its various components meld at, all are driven by a cold mechanical tempo, dragging the music forth like a death march.

My curiosity in this drab journey was fueled by a lack of perception. As a band dropped into my collection for discovery later on, I initially found them on Shoegazing and Dream Pop lists. Too my ears there is little of that here. Wings Of Joy is far more akin to the burdensome biblical sins of Children Of God in its darker alleys. That's only partial because there is uplift in sight as Alison Shaw sings with a childish innocence of soft tonality and fragile wordless inflections. Her tone reminds me of Grimes yet feels so very different in the pale darkly context. She is much like an innocent lost soul endlessly drifting, trapped in a world of horrors and demons they are blind too.

The production is also of merit too. Its spacious design keep the often stiff and repetitious instruments an eerie space to brood within. The guitars often swell up from underneath, leaving the dull marches festering with texture. It seems to be the common trick. Its initial simplicity seems cold and lifeless yet as the songs drone on, this curious enchanting atmosphere arises to engross the listener. And that's what it achieves from start to end without a weak spot. Wings Of Joy has something distinct to offer and revels in the space crafted for it, by the English band who are named after the visibility of many cranes present in the dockyards of London, their home.

Rating: 7/10

Devin Townsend "Snuggles" (2021)

Having followed along with the Devin Townsend Podcasts during the pandemic, the unfolding story of this particular record has loosened in my mind after several release delays. I remember its counterpart, The Puzzle, as a project revolving around distant creative collaborations in which Devin has to figure out how the pieces fit together. This additional, shorter companion piece, locks in thirty eight minutes of ambient indulgences which feel like a refractive lens cast over the last twelve years.

It starts with a shift in tone that began with The Devin Townsend Project. The various inflections of ambience and a gentler still side of his craft emerging, this endowed some of those albums with soft flushes and swells of a calmer, serine energy. Much of that is explored here again as echos of acoustic guitars, pan flutes and electronic leads are engulfed in a wash of dense reverberations that play to his thick wall of sound production style. Even in such a mellow, soothing setting does Devin conjure a dense mist of cloudy ambiguous sound for us, the listeners, to fall into. Its a welcoming wash of warm colors and dazzling sparkles, continuously moving without intent. A gushing of easy tonality with no hint of anything remotely negative. 

It serves mostly as a background experience with all its moments seemingly falling in and out of each other, structure and direction left a miss. Its purpose too feels somewhat vague too as its aesthetic crown seems more like a veil of sound design than song writing with a point. As a result the whole thing drifts by like a care-free dream. A pleasant experience but one thats a little shapeless and without a proper focus on closer inspection. The one recurring theme I picked up on were the words "Its thee ocean" which seem to drift in and out of consciousness on occasion as Snuggles drones its way through its definitely snugly and fuzzy atmosphere.

Rating: 5/10

Gelure "Into The Chesfern Wood" (2020)

Originally I passed over this debut album. The Candlelight Tomes was an interesting record, one with a promise of uniqueness that found me in my hearing recovery. Reaching out for usage permission on whim, Gelure has now become a regular rotation in my streaming diet of music. Into The Chesfern Wood has perhaps become the preferred of the two, its tone and mood more consistent with its charming meld of Dungeon Synth mood and Medieval Fantasy melodies feeling more whole together.

Its pallet of luscious plucked stringss and broody atmospheric synths has quite a dexterity only explored deeper in two of its tracks. With strikes of deep drums, Entrance To The Nekkethian Dwarves musters quite a force with its powering synths pushing towards abrasion. The track then pivots to an Electronic lead one might associate with Berlin School. A slightly Psychedelic moment to see out one of its more forceful songs. The following Tower Of The Wailing Moons sets sail softly with airy keys to cool the spirits. It eventually pivots to fear and wonder with nightly astral synths hinting at a forbidden darkness lurking nearby, a tone the album doesn't revisit.

From their its consistency returns with scenic castles and flushes natural beauty all wrapped in its typically nostalgic guise. The production is interesting, although likely to be all virtual instruments, the ambiguity that blurs edges has a slight sense of wobble in the pitch that could just be my imagination. A possible production technique that really aids the low-fidelity charm, as here it doesn't feel obvious yet the mood and atmosphere of the album embellishes the spirit of memories lost to time and decay.

Rating: 6/10

Cradle Of Filth "Existence Is Futile" (2021)

 

 

Stuck in a familiarity fatigue, my soft spot for Cradle Of Filth still yearned. Their recent revival of form through Hammer Of The Witches and Cryptoriana had me tuning me again. Despite all its competence and theatrics, sadly this latest length installment of their Gothic Extreme Metal didn't spark the thrills I was hoping for. All the cardinal sins are intact, Dani's shrill animal howls and deep burly voices narrate the vampiric and Lovecraft themes. Blast beats and lively percussion houses flexible distortion guitars and an array of timely gothic synthetic keyboard tones to orchestrate the night.

 

His current guitarists expand a little with a few less restrictive guitar chops and leads that have a mellower edge but its only a handful of moments among a meaty arsenal of tracks. For the most part they stick strictly to the classic CoF formulae. Its opening track Existential Terror, however, tackles pandemic parallels with tales of plague thrust through a very orchestral Abrahadabra tone. Its big symphonic strikes of melody and archaic choir singing hailing back to that particular Dimmu Borgir sound.

Its a niche that doesn't stick and swiftly do the band land on familiar footing, leading to a record that shows no noticeable blemishes yet failed to really get my blood pumping. There are instances of choppy thrash riffs that get a little tiring but some fiery spurts of aggression too. Aesthetically it gorgeous and full of lively instrumentation. A lack of originality is probably a fault at times. All arrangements rehash old ideas, the closing Unleash The Hellion very distinctly reminiscent of their Vempire era. I couldn't pick out a favorite track, I think I've just found myself in a spot of tiredness without a cure. I'll probably swing back to this one whenever I snap out of it, if ever I do!

Rating: 6/10

Hypocrisy "Worship" (2021)

 

Of all the familiarity fatigue I've endured of late, I was actually itching for an unchanged dose of Hypocrisy's alien paranoia breed of mid-tempo Atmospheric Death Metal. Led by a key figure in the Scandinavian Metal scene, producer Peter Tägtgren resurrects his passion project after an eight year absence to show the formula is still fun. Thematically, the conspiratorial inspirations are oddly relevant again,  finding some adaptations to fraught social topics of our pandemic age. Where they are less relevant is in the Metal scene itself. Despite Peter's many accolades, Hypocrisy have always been an underdog in my eyes. Spotting a shirt or jacket patch at a Metal festival can be a perils task despite their relative consistency over decades.

Worship is business as usual. The dynamic melding of its thrashing, pummeling rhythm guitars and the soaring gleam shining from tangled melodic leads tinged in astral inflections are the riveting experience I adored this band for. The pallet sways between its heavier riff led intensities and thematic melodic gloss that embellishes its perpetual sense of other worldly matters. Over top roars Peter with his earthly guttural shouts. They are dense growls but the slower cadence lets the words decipher and emanate a brutal forcefulness to intact his conspiratorial words. The percussion reinforces everything with timely patterns and grooves, playing a subtle roll as blast beats and even double pedals are a little less infrequent than one might expect for Death Metal but of course Hypocrisy's angle has always been an emphasis on atmosphere and scenic imagination. The drum grooves emphasis that sense of scale.

These tracks don't have much in the way of variety between them. With straight forward song structures the album rolls on with not a lot of flash in the pan. The songs mostly rely on trixy dazzling guitar licks and stomping grooves with the occasional intensity change ups leaving the guitars out for a baseline to rumble. They recycle their identity for the most part with We're The Walking Dead feeling like a rehash of many previous takes of slow brooding mood and atmosphere. In fact much of the record dives into compositions that feels very akin to previous songs you could cherry pick from their extensive discography. They Will Arrive does spring a surprise with its gritty low chord chugging groove setting off an alarming horn of some sort. It was something different of which Worship doesn't have much, however I turned up to hear Hypocrisy do what they do best. All of these songs are class without a weak link.

 

On the lyrical front its conspiratorial topicality and confrontation with our modern ills of disinformation and institutional distrust seems like a headache avoided. There is on claim of injecting two million people with HIV but otherwise its mostly the classic tinfoil hat tales of Illuminati and shadowy cabals of conspiring between alien demigods and corrupt elites. Essentially the traditional themes are tainted by modern polarization. However the third track Chemical Whore strikes right on the nerve of the still ongoing epidemic of dangerous pharmaceutical drugs peddled for profits by a increasingly dubious medical industry. To my ears its all a fair game of perspective and expression with nothing nefarious within. Worship is a solid delivery on exactly what I was in the mood for. A great band to check out if your a Metalhead who's not crossed them before. Their self titled album is my favorite, one I'm tempted to write up on soon.

Rating: 7/10

Can't Swim "Change Of Plans" (2021)

 

Don't be fooled, the oddly Gothic, Danzig alike album cover doesn't accurately reflect the emotive suburban vibes this group emanate. Can't Swim are my personal antidote to the Emo / Screamo scenes I turned a nose up at in my youth. These millennial musicians revive the glory of their past years, bringing musical maturity to their first world, woe ridden lyrics. With poppy song structures, catchy hooks and a melodic tint to garnish, Change Of Plans is the bands third but sadly the least impressive, possibly a case of familiarity as the band stick firmly to what works with a little twist of anger.

With Pop-Punk themes of adversity lacking troubles. Social squabbles, relationship woes and self doubts, the lyrics play from a light hearted teenage place with just a sprinkle of maturity. These are adult problems expressed with the lens of youthful angsty ideas that sway it far enough from perils. Its left in a precarious place where you can leave or take it. Personally Its not a bother but bar one or two lines I didn't find much to connect with, however the delivery and honesty in LoPorto's vocals is charming. The vulnerability and self coddling style is endearing, often manifesting into a hook with a knack to make his words catchy and flow with the groove.

The music is carved up into the typical inflections, lots of moody melodic plucked acoustic chords that bleed into vibrant distortion tones with all degrees wedged in between. Most these songs have a layer of aggression that sways back and forth from its guitars. Its not to adventurous, sticking to typical song structures and compositions with plenty of bright, harmonious singing. The point would be that they do this so well.

Where things detour is with a stronger sense of Hardcore and breakdown energy which the genre is adjacent too. On three or four tracks they step into this space boldly, not something I remember from their previous records. Better Luck Next Time and its jaunting breakdown goes full in on the aggression with palm mute chugs and tropes from the more metallic end of the spectrum. Sense Of Humor and its "Look who's laughing now" lyric slaps another breakdown in a track It doesn't feel fit for.

Whats interesting is how well executed these ideas are, the problem is they don't fit the overall mood which tends to be more introspective and mall shop sorrows than anger fueled resolution. A couple other songs have a breakdown stitched on the end and whenever it comes around, it feels like a sudden shift. Despite this jarring union of ideas, Change Of Plans is solid with plenty of catchy tunes. Its one to throw into the shuffle playlist and see what sticks with time.

Rating: 7/10

Lena Raine "Celeste Original Soundtrack" (2018)

 

Wholly impressed by the new Caves & Cliffs soundtrack, I set out to discover more about Lena Raine's music. Celeste has been one heck of a place to start! I've never touched, or even seen the original game. Having now built up a world of emotions absorbing its soundtrack, an interesting experience awaits me if ever I explore the source of inspiration for such this mesmerizing music. She has struck me as a musician with a voice that's unique, a niche that will take much time and many records to decipher. Just taking my first steps, I'm sure it will be another wonderful journey.

Aligning glossy pristine pianos with buzz saw synths vaguely reminiscent of chip tune aesthetics and an assortment of virtual instruments, Lena flirts with the joys of digital imagination and fantasy with the real emotions they can evoke. The deep feels are first felt on First Steps. The lush piano and swirling synth melodies allure and blossom with a swell of reversing base synth that just elevates everything already heard to a magical place. Following up with a nine minute epic, Resurrections builds steadily to an end section of bustling percussion dancing melody that is entrancing every time. 

From here a meaty mountain of music follows, totaling one hundred minutes of scenic songs flowing back and forth to its main theme with a few short transitional sequences between. The first stretch of songs bar the opening three drift into dark places. Scattered And Lost ushers in eerie horror melodies and upheavals of frantic drumming, quite the maniac vibes in brief moments. Anxiety pushes hard with its unsettling siren like synths and deep brooding saw waves before it collapses into a place beyond the pale, the soothingly sombre space of pain and suffering past by.

With Madaline And Theo we come out on the other side, ready to encounter the main theme again along with some seriously lively and ambitious instrumentation. It swaying from calm ambiences to busy, bustling layers of synth and animated percussion is wonderful, all with an emotional narrative that leads me to think this game is heavily story driven. With an eleven minute epic, Reach For The Summit, we are pulled into the final stretch as its big thematic swells leads us to satisfying, conclusive vibes with a teary, solemn ending played out through My Dearest Friends.

As a record, Celeste is a journey, a tale, an adventure, a remarkable one too! Its most impressive aspects are found in the busy and at times cluttered compositions that do not shy away from complexity or abrasion. It navigates them remarkably, holding onto a core theme and always having fantastical melody and direction at its side. Best of all its progressive song writing style keeps the music evolving and unraveling as even returning melodies and themes get reworked, told again through multiple lenses. Through all this the wonderment, adventure and emotional siring never ceases! Its quite remarkable.

Rating: 9/10

Cane Hill "Krewe De La Mort, Vol. 2" (2021)

 

Following up on the first part of Krewe De La Mort, American Nu Metal revivalists Cane Hill return with two more reasonable songs for the arsenal. So far the best I've heard of this band was when deviating from the norm, with their Alice In Chains inspired Kill The Sun EP. Volume 2 stays on track, delivering high octane Metal. Bolstering massive Djent riffs, groove syncopation and a textural layer of Electro-Industrial noise, its quite the throttling force that comes with a sensitive side.

This time around it feels like vocalist Elijah Witt gets to lead the way with his burly yet introspective voice. Blood & Honey kicks things off with boombastic riffs and ridiculous low end guitar noise. His screams and shouts forgettable but its the pivot to energetic clean vocals that bless both tracks. He infuses the song with a wonderful melodic character, amplified by clean guitar notes gleaming in the instrumental behind him. Its a busy track but that focal point makes it work, the lyrics carrying weight too.

Busting in with roaring, triumphant Heavy Metal guitar solos, both tracks emanate "Festival Metal" vibes fit for a big outdoor stage. The following Bleed When You Ask Me goes even harder on the guitar grooves. The metallic dissonance tends to wash away into a noisy backdrop with Elijah doing all the heavy lifting. His voice forges a path through a racket of thumping syncopation. Without him this would of been dull.

Rating: 2/10

Soley "Mother Melancholia" (2021)

 

Last Christmas I experienced the magical resonance of a sparkling wintry record, Endless Summer. On the heals of that excitement I leaped upon this latest release. What I've found is far from that beauty and spirited charm. As implied in its name and powerful album art, Mother Melancholia wallows in the pains of an eternal attachment to a melancholy Soley explores with her music. This time the construct is sparse and atmospheric. Little inklings of song, blossoms out of the darkness with chilling piano melodies fading into bleak elongated ambiences aligned with hints of deviousness on tracks like Parasite and Elegia.

 There are scarce moments of warmth but Soley mostly sings with shyness from a vulnerable place. Accompanied by lonely brooding instrumentation the record often feels sad and lost, as if wandering through limbo for an eternity. Many of the compositions leads to swells as the gentle atmospheres steadily gather gusto. The devilishly slow and sluggish Blows Up has a grabbing two note guitar riff to conclude the progress. Its so apt and timely as much of the record is with its aesthetic and musical choices. Many ideas play out to a point.

Mother Melancholia is a fine record, bravely exploring despairing lonely spaces and other degrees of human sorrow. Where it falters is perhaps in the listeners mood. Contented to relax and absorb, then its a fine experience but its charm is a calm current to gently drift with. There isn't a lot to jump to for hits of excitement and skipping around the track listing reveals a lot of lengthy ambiences. A fine but fair record. I do like the darkly mourning of Soley's performances but without a counterpart, it does feel hard to get excited about in its persistent gloominess.

Rating: 6/10

Gelure "The Candlelight Tomes" (2021)

This record found me in my lowest point of recent years. Sick with double ear infections, a lot of music was discernible and difficult to digest, even if I knew it already! Just as more frequencies were slowly returning, this soft, warm and airy set of songs crossed my path at the perfect time. My initial wonderment was heightened by the days of ill health prior. Since its charm has waned but their is no doubt The Candlelight Tomes has a flavor distinct from the norms of decrepit Dungeon Synth.

Reminiscent of Lord Lovidicus's melodic evolution, Gelure moves to the light, seeking light and warmth through its perpetual haze of angelic choral chants that uplift the tone at every turn. It does so while retaining a classic sense of nostalgia and ancient mystery. Its beautiful pallet of wondrous synth instruments are mixed well with enough fogginess to disguise the mechanical performance of its likely VSTs.

Initially the aesthetic is preformed with a meandering direction. Mood setting and atmosphere the initial result. The Bygone Hall Of The Tower Of Wailing Moons introduced medieval melody akin to Fief and some bombast with deep percussive tom drums. Its a direction that doesn't yield anything special. Frostcrown Of The Ice Meadow on the other hand uses its drums to crawl at a dreary pace. Its chilling, icy synths and lonely meandering melodies remind me of Lycia's Darkwave classic Cold.

The following songs exchange between these two derivatives without a sense of something unique. The point I am trying to land, is the promise of its initial two songs. They had quite the chemistry, simple in composition with the potential to manifest into something larger, instead the following songs felt all to similar for a seasoned Dungeon Synth explorer. I love this genre but the common theme of late seems to be initial excitement that dissipates into a familiarity. Some freshness Is what I seek.

Rating: 5/10