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Brieviews 66

22/11/2019

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Nocturnalia – III Winter

dark rock
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Nothing new under those vast Scandinavian skies – yes! Nothing boring in the wide open spaces – yes! Nocturnalia are a good example that a mix of Rainbow, Deep Purple, the 69 Eyes combined with a singer who clearly likes Bruce Dickinson never gets boring. For we have heard those things so often before we can clearly identify the roots – always a great thing for every fan(atic) as he can display his knowledge. However, there is something else to that mix that lies beneath the obvious and that is some good and clever songwriting because we must remember – copying is one thing but taking lessons from idols is another. Nocturnalia definitely follow the second line and we can take singer Linus Ekermo as an example here: He knows his Bruce, he knows his Dio but he never dares to simply copy them, he adds little singular characteristics once in a while, for example in “Winter Hymn” when his (nearly) spoken word is a great atmospheric moment - “Frost be the sign of this lost ending year /  Darkness embrace me for winter draws near” words and phrases heard before but combined with a sound reminiscent of the wind of uilleann pipes and a second (at the beginning nearly inaudible) vocal line we are still drawn to it and keep on spinning “III Winter”. 


Wooden Earth – Fangs

hard rock / classic rock
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Wooden Earth (look at that band name – you already see the green smoke rising in the desert) are to release their new track “Fangs” on December 13th. The Dallas-based duo consisting of guitarist Devin Moreno and drummer/vocalist Griffin Thomas will release their debut full length next year and are currently touring their ….. off. No new witches’ brew in their mix of two similar genres, but their play with dynamics is definitely worth lending your ear if you like Red Fang’s ferociousness, QOTSA’s pop appeal and some scruffy vocals to accompany all of that. They throw in a riff that is really genre-like but their dynamics draws you in and the small kicks from the side in form of a sharp noisy lick keep you going just as much as the 60s style psychedelic organ in the background which keeps the atmosphere light and tight. Here you go, Stoner fans, you might have another band to follow! What a name anyway!


Moonreich – Wormgod

metalcore
Les Acteurs De L'Ombre
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My media player sometimes plays a trick on me and doesn’t enlist the tracks in the right order but reverses them, so that the last track is played first. It did that when I started listening to Moonreich’s recent EP Wormgod, and thus the first thing I heard was “Broken” and the first vocals I heard were “If you want control without any pain / How long will you suffer? / How long will you reign?” My mind racing, where had I, what did they, whom had they….  and then memory retrieved the wanted information – it’s a cover of a Depeche Mode-song! No, nothing worrisome about that cover but well, the rest is solid work. A lot of grindy-metalcore, blastbeats, solid screaming gutturals, some quick and harsh turns, a few moments reminiscent of Slipknot (supposedly a major influence) and some posty-swirling guitar loops. A solid Metalcore band doing some solid Post-Metal songs but being unable to hide their roots. A good band to start your summer festival day with, but well …if it wasn’t for that Depeche Mode-cover!


Blackwood – Of Flies

dub doom
Subsound
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Ever wondered what it would sound like if Godflesh emphasized the metal side a bit more and a bit dirtier? Less sterile and less dubby? With a bit less verve and some more doomy gloom? Then you might find yourself drawn to Blackwood, an electro-doom-metal-project headed by Italian artist and composer Eraldo Bernocchi who – via Subsound Records has just released his new EP “Of Flies” with the help of vocalist Emilia Moncayo and a lot of samples, for example the urgent screams “Conductor we have a problem! Press emergency!” taken from a YouTube-video filmed a few years ago, when a man ran around in an American subway screaming these words all the time. The songs are like a descent into the hell of the human psyche, one does not want to listen because of the grittiness of the songs but it it somehow impossible to stop because there might be another even more sensational sound or sample or scream just around the corner of this dirty wall of sound. And just before the finger hits the button he calms it down again and then surrounds the ears with some soothing parts and ethereal moments. But the dirt is always just one step away. A great introduction into a genre some people might never have imagined. Or never wanted to imagine. 


Ghostboy – Disgusting 

dark ambient / edm / house
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“Always on my mind”. Elvis. His late years. A classic. Always recognizable. Always? No, not as in always always, because as Ghostboy shows with his version, starting out like a desert slo-mo-acoustic guitar version then turning into slow ambient song, even a song we have all heard a trillion times can be hard to recognize even though he sticks to the original lyrics. This song was my reason to listen to the new EP by Ghostboy released on and for Halloween and thus aptly titled “Disgusting”. Four songs revolving around the themes lost love, death, loneliness and ghosts are presented here by the electronica artist, who combines burbling dream-pop with dark electronica parts or classical house elements and sometimes garners them with an interesting detail, like the aforementioned acoustic guitar. The only fault in the EP: The cover doesn’t totally fit in with the others, even though it is quite an original track, but its lyrical mood is so different and furthermore because of said western-intro. Maybe he should choose a real Halloween classic for such a themed release – my suggestion: “The Boy with the Arab Strap”. Otherwise, it becomes clear where Ghostboy comes from and where he’s headed as he stays immensely authentic. 

Thorsten
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Brieviews 62

18/5/2019

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Ogmasun - Into the Void

post rock / post metal
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With 'Into The Void', Swiss progressive post metal combo Ogmasun delivers a dark, broody and intense trip. Two tracks, forty minutes, this album one hell of a journey. Perhaps it is not as easy digestible as most post-rock related albums but it's certainly worth the effort. Gloomy ambient tunes alternate with heavy, guitar based pieces of music in which the bass pushes the whole thing forward. Then there are the vocal samples which fit perfectly over the music and elements of indie rock, math rock and progressive rock. The result is something highly narrative, something every fan of elaborate anthems will appreciate.

Bunkr - Schluss

noise rock / jazz / experimental
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What starts as a pretty normal post rock album quickly develops into something mind boggling as Swiss band Bunkr opens a box of influences from noise rock to jazz, mathcore and even progressive metal. On 'Schluss' the band comes up with five tracks, mixing dissonance with immersive hooks and sheer intensity. The result is a baffling piece of work, not easy to comprehend but definitely something fans of the unusual will enjoy. Title track 'Schluss' is my personal favorite here, or perhaps the somewhat sludgy 'Truand'. Most fans will prefer the lengthy 'Vautour', but all five of these tracks will overwhelm you, no doubt about that.

Gloson - Mara

doom / sludge
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Roaming somewhere between funeral doom and sludge metal, Swiss act Gloson delivered a gut piercing two-track EP. To tell you the truth, I was a bit surprised when I heard it for the first time. Instead of the hazy, stoner version of doom, which I expected, Gloson immediately comes up with massive riffs, pummeling drums and fierce death growls. Needless to say, perhaps, but I was quickly impressed with opener 'Usurper'. 'Equinox' easily walks the same rough and brutal path. Heavy, intense, yet melodic and immersive, this EP is an absolute must-have for the seasoned doom fan, no doubt about that. 

Geezer - Spiral Fires

psychedelic / doom / stoner rock
Kozmik Artifactz
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Can't get enough of heavy riffing and doomed journeys? Well then, put this in your pipe and smoke it. American trio Geezer throw a massive EP into the mix with 'Spiral Fires'. Opening with a psychedelic space tune, this EP quickly takes us off this planet and into the vast darkness of our galaxy. Then, when the riffs, the bass and the drums appear, Geezer guides you on sonic waves of Sabbathian riffing, something like that. And all of that continues in the other three tracks. As far as psychedelic doom metal is concerned, you rarely get anything more interesting than this. So obviously this comes highly recommended

Lecu - Scented Sonar

ambient
Left Tapes
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The facebook page mentions: "Ambient kinda guy // ambient kinda music" and that pretty much covers the load for this three-track EP. Inspired by Frahm, Eno and Aphex Twin, Lecu comes up with three enigmatic ambient tunes, a bit experimental at times but certainly worthy of a spot in your elaborate ambient playlist. My favorite here is 'Blue Desert', which combines gloomy soundscapes with playful elements, which somehow represents a soft summer rain. I think ambient fans will know what to do with this beauty. Check it out and allow Lecu to take you on a beautiful underwater journey...

Aleksei Nikitin - Vesna

house / techno / electronic
bandcamp
Lobster Records
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Russian producer Aleksei Nikitin comes up with a pretty exciting 12" which will get many EDM fans on their feet. Opener 'Gruv' immediately sets the tone: repetitive beats, rough sampling and minimal melodies. Yet, my favorite here is the dark dancefloor filler 'Blaze Away' which takes me back to the days of Zen Paradox, Shaolin Wooden Men and so on. Title track 'Vesna' even delves into the dark underground of gothic industrial electro and heavy synthpop. That's three different styles of house music, all on one EP, more than enough to appear on these pages. So check this out and shake your ass. You know you want to...

Druhá Smrt - Incarnatium

dark ambient
Sombre Soniks
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I don't think Druhá Smrt need an introduction on these pages. Over the past few years, this Czech duo have become one of my absolute favorites in the dark ambient scene. Their new effort, 'Incarnatium' merely cements that spot. With four tracks, this EP is another brilliant statement for Druhá Smrt. Dark, brooding and immersive as hell, this EP can easily stand next to your favorites by Raison D'Etre, Lustmord or Atrium Carceri, just to name a few. This is a somber album, mystifying and dreary, like only the most seasoned dark ambient acts can produce. Believe me, ​Druhá Smrt is a force to be reckoned with in this scene. You need this!

Chelidon Frame - NowHere Nowhere NoWhere

ambient / experimental
Sounds Against Humanity
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From the bandcamp page: "This music is an attempt to tame all the new sounds you meet when moving to a new house". Composed out of processed field recordings, this album is an outstanding piece of minimal ambient. With nine track, Chelidon Frame attempts to narrate a story, something deeply personal. Now, I can't really say I feel the story on this album but I do enjoy the music. These are unusual and unrecognizable sounds, dressed in layers of soothing ambient, fitting perfectly with the sounds that surround you, like church bells, passing cars or the neighbor's music. In all, this is a highly enjoyable album, one that will pleasantly surprise you.

Talipes Valgus - Sly

electronic / downtempo
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With six tracks, Russian electronic act Talipes Valgus comes up with a slow, pulsating and brooding EP where trip hop receives a modern day make-over. According to the biography, the software used for this music is Ableton and in a way you can hear that. The deep bass lines and the typical Ableton sounds are present, but that doesn't mean that this thing is stale and unoriginal. In fact, 'Ravine River' plays with orchestral samples to create something rather overwhelming. Besides, Talipes Valgus doesn't shun the experiment, resulting in a few odd but mesmerizing pieces of music.

Haunt - If Icarus Could Fly

heavy metal
Shadow Kingdom Records
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And just like that we're catapulted back into the glory days of heavy metal. Haunt digs deep into the world of NWOBHM and comes out with a flashing eight track EP. Each of these tracks could have been written by one of your favorite old school heavy metal bands but hey, they forgot so here is Haunt to make you raise your horned fist and yell along with these infectious tunes. Opener 'Run & Hide' is probably one of the most electrifying metal tunes released this year and most of the others will make your rock dick grow hard, I promise. So yeah, heavy fucking metal. If you like that, you will love the hell out of this EP.

Suffering Hour - Dwell

black metal / death metal
Helter Skelter Productions
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And to plummet in utter darkness, here is 'Dwell' by American horde Suffering Hour, an eighteen minutes lasting anthem of black and death metal torment, destined to erode your sanity. This track is a massive slap in the face of those who have strict guidelines to enjoy their death metal. This is intense, ferocious and suffocating but it also comes with a very high level of atmospheric songwriting. Suffering Hour certainly is a unique entity in the world of death metal, adding plenty of variation to a genre that thrives of violence and brutality. So yeah, this is one for the extremists among us, one you'll cherish or suffer.

Russ Young - Pala

ambient
Audiobulb
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I often end my sets of Brieviews with a soothing ambient release. I have a good reason for that. Writing these short reviews can get intense, especially if I write them in one go, which means several hours of listening and writing. This time I picked a wonderful ambient EP by Russ Young. Four tracks, one as blissful and as restful as the next. Opener 'Polaris' is a beautiful piece of music, driving on minimal melodies and flowing soundscapes. 'Cavern' feels somewhat darker but is just as immersive. In all, 'Pala' is one of those releases that you just want to dive into, which is exactly what I would recommend. Press play, close your eyes and escape from the wicked world we live in...


​Serge
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Brieviews 52

6/9/2018

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Ashtoreth - Ciuthach

drone / ambient / folk
Sleep FUSE Subscription Series
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Ashtoreth joins the Sleep FUSE subscription series with an enigmatic one track EP, based on a Scottish folklore creature myth of the Ciuthach. This 23 minutes lasting track follows the same path as most of his releases, which is a good thing of course, especially if you love droning vocals, eerie soundscapes, field recordings and atmospheric ambient. As always, Ashtoreth invites the listener on a dark, somewhat haunting sonic journey, either through vast forests or you own imagination. That choice is yours. Recommended? Undoubtedly...

Zer0 れい - an overview

electronic / ambient/ synthwave

Afterglow 20XX

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More experimental sounds from Belgium, this time with ​Zer0 れい . This music delves right into the eighties, inspired by old movie and video games soundtracks. The result is an unusual and somewhat eerie approach to so-called vaporwave; It's synth music, but coming at you in a gritty,  raw and somewhat way. But what would you expect from a project from the same guy who gave us the harsh noise of Unholy Analog Noisemachine, Crucifix Eye and MxCx. This EP contains six songs, none of which being suited for radio stations. It's strange, but with minimalistic synth tunes like 'Pariah', this an become quite interesting.

Midihack

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Released in June, 'Midihack' can please me a lot more than 'Afterglow 20XX'. The EP opens with 'Mods', a track that takes me right into either Mr Robot scenes or apocalyptic fun fairs. The EP shows a bit more, or more distinct, rhythms, making it a tad more digestible. However, don't expect some easy listening new age, this stuff is still rather dark, reminiscent of the gloomy, experimental side of eighties synthpop. For me, this is one of the most surprising releases of the year, with excellent synth tunes like 'Komatsu Subzero' and 'rax2'. So if you're hungry for something different, you might want to check this out.

Slipstream 20XX

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The most recent effort by Zer0 れい begins with a sharp intro before the vaporwave kicks off again. Gradually, over the three releases i can hear this act evolving as the whole becomes more musical and varied. Here, some of the old noise exploits of the artist comes shining through, appearing in mostly harsh tracks like 'Anticipation' and 'Suspension'. But you can also fill the dark dancefloors with tracks from this album, including 'Broadcast' or 'Ossuary 20XX'. In all, this album is a lot tenser and heavier than 'Midihack' but still an excellent example of what musical experimentation can lead to.

Xasthur - Aestas Pretium MMXVIII

acoustic / folk
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Legendary black metal act Xasthur is now an acoustic three-piece and I guess the black metal scene just has to deal with that. 'Aestas Pretium MMXVIII' contains five songs, all fully acoustic but still containing some of the aesthetics and technicalities of extreme metal. My favorite remains the opener 'Against Your Will'. I think old fans might have a problem with Scott Conner's clean vocals but then again, this is not black metal, this is "doomgrass", something between American folk music and the dark abyss that is extreme metal. My suggestion? Try it out, it just might be your thing now.

Black Market Heart - Who Put A Knife Through Your Heart?

post punk
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Founded by Spencer Robinson (The Wolf Spiders, The Lords of Altamont), Black Market Heart delves deep into another dark side of the eighties, that of post punk and new wave. Their debut EP delivers three short tracks which might best be described as grinding version of Joy Division or a minimalstic version of Sisters Of Mercy. 'Can't Live On The Other Side' immediately got me hooked. 'Under the Ivy' brings Bain Wolfkind to mind, especially in the vocals. Finally, 'Silver' invites me to those dark dancefloors again. So, new wavers of all ages, there is still hope. Check out this gem!

The Lautreamonts - Who Are You Wearing

post punk
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A more melodic yet experimental version of post punk comes from Brazilian act The Lautreamonts, and what a version it is. In opener 'The Adequacy Waltz' alone acts like Cinema Strange, Dead Can Dance and Dresden Dolls came to mind. 'Who We Were' is a fantastic track, nudging towards shoegaze and dreampop. Yet, there is more than that, I ever hear a tad of grunge in 'The Ones He Wore' and closer 'Black Sabbath' is exactly what you'd expect, a surprisingly enigmatic cover. I often found myself thinking "damn, this is good", not only from a personal standpoint but also as far is overall quality is concerned. This is high quality postpunk, destined to reach high peaks in that scene.

Ennui - End Of The Circle

funeral doom
Non-Serviam Records
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Yes, a new funeral doom album. As a huge fan of everything slow and torpid, I can only be ecstatic about that. Hailing from Tbilisi, Georgia, Ennui keeps the funeral doom tradition in high regard, resulting in this crushing album. Three songs, seventy minutes of high quality music, quite similar to Esoteric, Shape Of Despair and Evoken. The atmospheric approach here is astounding, perhaps capable of gaining some fans in the post-post scene as well, if they appreciate growls and fierce black metal passages. But in the end, this is a perfect funeral doom album that will mostly and undoubtedly please the fans of the genre.

A Shoreline Dream - Waitout 

shoegaze / dreampop
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Shoegaze combi A Shoreline Dream continue their series of single with a new five-track, titled 'Waitout'. With a vast wall of jangling guitars and subdued vocals, this trio sets another step into their remarkable journey. If you are a fan of acts like Cocteau Twins, Slowdive and Ride, you might want to check out these dream-like anthems. The ballad 'Barnum' is probably my favorite track here while 'New York' will undoubtedly appeal to fans of danceable anthems. But eventually, I guess all of these tracks are certain highlights in the career of a band that honors that beautiful sound of shoegaze.

Rude Audio - Rude Redux

electronic / house / synth
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Hailing from London, UK, Rude Audio delivers some neat dance tunes for late night clubbing and chilling. The tags on bandcamp mention the term "Balearic" but I'm not very familiar with that so I'll have to go with how this music makes me feel. Well, opener 'To The Sun' is a minimal house track which brings me to imaginary beach clubs. 'To The Half Moon' rings out the dub. 'Rumble On Arab St.' does something intriguing with eighties synths and sequences and 'Pipeline Dreaming' gently wobbles on. Eventually, the Rich Lane remix of 'To The Half Moon' reminds me of lengthy car drives in Grand Theft Auto or Miami Vice. Nice? You betcha!!!

Idle Hands - Don't Waste Your Time

hard rock
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Well, since we're diving into eighties revivals, why not check out the heavy metal corners? Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Idle Hands honors the early sounds of bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Yet, there is also a sense of goth rock present. 'By The Way Of Kingdom' brings bands like Killing Joke or Sisters Of Mercy to mind while ancient rockers like Boston or Toto aren't that far away either. That combination is interesting, to say the least. My personal favorite is 'Can You Hear The Rain', yet all track here are good old fashioned dark hard rock songs which all rockers should give a chance.

Lower Automation - Shoebox Companion

math rock / alternative rock / experimental / noise rock / punk
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It's been a while since a band reminded me of Belgian's finest, Evil Superstars. Chicago based trio Lower Automation does something frenetic and deranged with punk, math rock and noise rock. Parts Dillinger Escape Plan, parts Sonic Youth and parts Jesus Lizard come at you with high velocity and with the sonic insanity of Melt Banana. This six track EP is as dynamic as a rhino stampede, even without twisting the distortion button on their amps. 'Tethered' might be the most radio friendly songs here but it's not radio friendly at all. So I guess you have been warned. If you like punky musical chaos, you need this.




​Serge
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SoulSonic – Music is Born in Silence

29/5/2017

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electronic / ambient / house
Cold Tear Records
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Music is Born in Silence is an album by Lithuanian electronic music artist Evaldas Azbukauskas, better known by the alias of SoulSonic, released by renowned underground label Cold Tear Records on May 22. With nine tracks – Choose Your Path, Gentle Wind, One Direction, Sunny Days, Life, Love You, Heal, Walking and Clouds –, Music is Born in Silence is an amazingly fantastic record, that realizes a deeply surrealist and phenomenal mixture of several subgenres of electronic music, like house, deep house, techno music, chillout, ambient and electronica, amongst others. With pure and tremendously captivating tunes that enchants the listener from the very beginning until the end, throughout the whole record, Music is Born in Silence is a vigorously powerful masterpiece, able to conquer each and every individual that is an avid enthusiast of the current electro house underground scene. With an ability to summarize intense rhythms in a correlated beat with smooth harmonies that dynamically plays along with intrinsically nuanced vibes, with all his talent, SoulSonic probably is a fundamental reference in these subgenres of electronica in the local club scene of his hometown of Mazeikiai, in the Baltic state of Lithuania. 

The first half of the record is simply intriguing. With proficient and colorful melodies, that conquers the space in between the solidary solitude of a perfectly structured rhythmic dissonance, the expansive tone of his beats are prominently inclusive, and the constant intonations that revolves around the synchronized precision of his tunes are remarkably soft, exposing a serene exhilaration of sonorous boundaries that reveals a profound rapture perfectly sculptured by shape and form.    

Like a sonorous atom that conquers the most sizeable part of a delusional rhythmic paradise, this record establishes its own pattern of musical logic, in what concerns the authenticity and the beautifully poetic atmosphere of its peculiar style. Music is Born in Silence is so good that is possible to anticipate this record becoming a fundamental milestone for the house, deep house and techno subgenres of electronic music. With one track better than the other, there are no faults at all to be pointed out in what concerns this formidably majestic, brilliantly conceived and majorly cohesive record. 

A tremendously great masterpiece, it is highly recommended to all enthusiasts of underground electronica, especially the ones who are fond of the subgenres brilliantly and amazingly executed by the artist, with all the whimsical perfection of his great artistic skills: house and deep house. Be sure, you’ve never listened to something so astonishingly monumental in your life before on this particular type of music.   


Wagner
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