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Brieviews 22

31/3/2017

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Lynhood - Septembre

ambient / experimental / shoegaze
Atypeek
Amazon
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Lynhood is the solo project for French bassist Chloé Della Valle, founder of the Grenoble label. Lynhood is also a very interesting take on ambient, drones, noise pop and shoegaze. Armed with a bass guitar, her dreamy voice and a loop station, Lynhood creates textured pop songs with a gritty edge. That now results in this four track ep which at times is extremely melancholic. While opener 'Tree' is a gentle tune, 'White Emperor' is a tremendous tearjerker, gloomy and deeply introvert. In all, this ep is not an easy pill to swallow but certainly one worth the effort. It's simply another interesting take on drones and ambient. Try it out...

Duality - Archeology

metalcore / metal
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French metal act Duality come up with a complex but immersive take on progressive metal and metalcore, a genre I'm not always a big fan of. However, the three songs on this ep are laced with oriental influences, unusual vocal lines and tantalizing electronics, which make this thing a lot better than I expected. The songs are quite slow but still contain heaps of energy and grinding riffs. My personal favorite on this ep is 'Osiris', an intense piece of work that will often surprise the listener. I suggest you check it out, musical surprises are always a good thing as they open your mind for new things.

Never Train - Dnar

hard rock
Inverse Records
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They call it "street rock", but I think the term "hard rock" will fit the band very well. I mean, uptempo rockers with a dirty edge and plenty of power, both in the riffs and in the vocals, that spells hard rock in my book. Never Train, a band from Finland, does nothing really new but they did record three highly convincing pieces of good old fashioned rock 'n roll. There is a little bit of Skid Row in here, a dash of Ramones and even a touch of Guns 'n Roses. So this just can't go wrong. Opener 'First We Live' is my favorite. 'Hope In Youth' is a rocking dance floor filler and closer 'Dnar' is simply an uplifting piece of old school hard rock. You might need this...

Dominique Charpentier - L'attente

classical / ambient
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The email that contained this ep, also contained the words "It's a piano solo album", which is probably the truest thing I have ever read. On this ep, there is a piano and ten massively experienced fingers who gently help the instrument reveal its dreams. The five short pieces on this ep are soothing and minimal classical pieces that can lighten up every day. I don't care what genre you usually listen to, dear reader, but I strongly urge you to purchase this album. Music like this should be in everybody's collection. Everybody needs moments like these, moments to meditate and look into their own soul. This album can help you with that...

Vautour - Vautour

drum & bass / industrial metal
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With the energy of a metal album, French electronic act Vautour comes up with six massively energetic pieces of industrial music. Fans of Chase & Status or Pendulum will undoubtedly embrace this thing. There are references towards hardcore techno, dubstep, drum & bass and breakbeats but also towards rock and metal, be it a highly electronic form If you ever see a moshpit forming during a drum & bass gig, it will probably be while Vautour is playing live. In all, this debut is an interesting piece of work, one which will definitely get your dancing boots on. I can see good things happening for this act in the future.

Moonlight Prophecy - Eternal Oblivion 

progressive / thrash metal
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Philadelphia's Moonlight Prophecy is a Progressive, Thrash and Neoclassical Metal project from multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Lawrence Wallace, and that is pretty much all you need to know before getting your hands on this stunning ep. Mostly instrumental, this three-track is loaded with shredding riffs, epic guitar solos and a massive drum sound, all coming with a gloomy atmosphere. People have said that this compares to Nevermore meets Testament and I'm not going to disagree with that. Fans of epic, technical and immersive metal can easily trust this project to deliver the goods. So yep, recommended as hell, this one...

Era 9 - Warrior

nu metal
Soundcloud
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This single by Montreal based rock band Era 9 is a very nice appetizer for their upcoming album (planned to be released in May). This song seemingly blends influences from Linkin Park, Paramore, Lacuna Coil and even Skrillex and throws them into one immersive piece of music. The result is a possible hard rock charts hit, a song that would do perfectly well as a Wrestlemania tune, for example. So yes, it's worth to check this out. I'm already curious for the upcoming full-length and if you're into anything that smells like nu metal, you should too...

Electric Floor - Fader

synthpop / new wave
Vipchoyo Sound Factory 
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With elements from indie rock, new wave and synth pop, this trio politely invites you to the dancefloor, especially if you are a fan of Echo & The Bunnymen, Psychedelic Furs, The Cure, Human League and so on. These five tracks seem to come directly from the eighties but will just as well please fans of modern day indie rock. Opener 'Bluedive' and the gloomy 'Borderland' are my favorites on this five track but all the songs are worth your attention. So yes, for a nostalgia trip, this is definitely a highly recommended ep and to be frank, I'd rather go see these guys on stage than Depeche Mode.

Headless Horseman - 47009

techno / industrial
47
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Speaking about invitations to the dancefloor, this one is something for the discotheques and dance festivals around the globe. Headless Horseman delivered a four track ep, loaded with beats and eerie soundscapes. Yet, instead of the regular 4/4 beats, this act gives the whole thing an industrial touch, reminding me of acts like Imminent, Sonar, Morgenstern or Synapscape. The opener, 'Widow's Peak' is my favorite here, along with the Scorn-like dark dub track 'The Day She Vanished'. So yeppers, for a techno record, this is a bloody good one, one that will find the way to my playlists quite often from now on.

Lonely The Brave - Diamond Days

alternative rock
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British band Lonely The Brave delivered a nice four track ep, named 'Diamond Days'. On this ep, the band comes up with small rock anthems, seemingly influenced by alternative rock, indie and post rock. Opener and title track 'Diamond Days' is a possible fan favorite, an intelligent rock anthem that would fit perfectly well in today's alternative rock community. 'Two Heads' is a bit heavier and 'Collider' is another awesome anthem. The ep closes with a nice version of 'The Rat', originally recorded by The Walkmen. In all, this ep might not be earth shattering but it's definitely a nice addition to your collection.

Misto - Infinite Mirrors

post rock
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This debut ep by Italian one-man post rock act Misto has been released last year but it only reached us a short while ago. Usually, when that happens, the release ends up in the pile of albums-we-don't-have-time-for but this time I'd like to make an exception. Why? Well, this is a very nice six-track ep, containing some gentle post rock tunes. This certainly is one of those ep that would perfectly fit in your massive post-rock playlists, there where Explosions, Godspeed, Mogwai, Caspian and Astronaut also roam. So go ahead, download these tunes help me in hoping that Misto will form a band and tour soon...

Grave Plague - The Infected Crypts

death metal
Give Praise Records
Redefining Darkness Records
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On to the extremes then, courtesy of American death metal horde Grave Plague. Their sole goal is to resurrect the old school version of death metal and on this two-track ep they do exactly that. With a sound that reminds me of something between Dismember and At The Gates, this quintet blasts two ferocious slabs of vintage death metal through my speakers at a very high paste. The whole thing is quite short but powerful enough to demolish a small suburb. So if you're into grinding riffs, sick grunts and pulverising tempos, this one should have a spot in your collection. Period.

HaatE - Crystal : Farewell

dark ambient / black metal
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Italian black ambient act HaatE returns with a mesmerizing and hypnotic ep, one that has everything it needs to be a solid reference to this dark and mysterious genre. Although mostly rooted in dark ambient, there are elements from black metal and the whole post-black/rock scene. The end result is a sonic journey that never disappoints, never gets stale and continuously contains this cold, eerie and haunting atmosphere. I can only recommend this thing to all you dark souls out there. For people like you, this music is comforting and calm while it's dark and scary for others. Great work, a must-have.

Kolfskop - Cambozola Superster

experimental rock
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The weirdest ep in this edition of Brieviews comes from Belgian trio Kolfskop. These guys from Ghent once had an idea about how music should sound, threw that overboard and started experimenting, influenced by Zappa, Waits, Beefheart and Primus. Now, they come up with this strange ep, one that has the words "avant-garde" written all over it. Nonetheless, this thing comes highly recommended because it's something you just don't hear very often anymore. Oh, and it's all in Dutch, but don't let that stop you. After all, plenty of Belgians are musical geniuses as well as completely mad.

Eli van Pike - Herzschlag

gothic / industrial metal
Darksign Music
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A German-American cooperation, deeply rooted in the dark industrial metal scene, that has got to be interesting. And it is, certainly for fans of bands like ASP, Oomph, Wolfsheim and so on. This single contains the gothic rock song 'Herzschlag' and a bunch of EBM/industrial/future pop remixes. Personally, I would have preferred one or two other songs on this single, just to add a touch of variation, but nonetheless, this is an interesting example of today's gothic scene. So I guess the choice is yours, and I strongly suggest checking this single out. If you like it, why not get the whole album?

Fork / Göttemia - Indre Enfold

punk
Kraftpest
Fork
Göttemia 
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And we end this edition of Brieviews with two bands from the Norwegian punk underground, bands that have been playing live and touring for years and became quite good friends. Fork comes up with two energetic punk songs, nudging towards alternative and noise rock but still raunchy enough to please hardcore punks. Göttemia adds three aggressive punk tunes to the mix, perfectly capable of getting that mosh pit started. Both acts seem to do exactly what they want, which obviously is in perfect punk tradition. So, punk of all ages, check this out. You'll love it.
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Brieviews 18

14/1/2017

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Hurray, the first edition of Brieviews of 2017 is here and once again it's a damn varied one. From shoegaze to grindcore and from techno to djent, it's all in here. I'm sure that there is something you like in here. Enjoy...
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Blushing - Tether

shoegaze / dreampop
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Two husbands and wives making music together, that's always a better idea than go on a joint bicycle trip while wearing similar fluorescent bike-wear, not? Well, it certainly proved to be an excellent time spending idea for these four Americans, making blissful dreampop and shoegaze. In these four tracks, they easily please fans of Slowdive and Cocteau Twins while also coming with with some gritty grunge sounds. Opener 'Tether' is a damn catchy tune, one that might easily get stuck in your head. The other songs are perfect shoegazing tunes, once again highlighting in 'Mess'. This truly is a recommended ep.

88 Mile Trip - Blame Canada

stoner rock
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Another neat idea comes from Canadian stoner rockers 88 Mile Trip. During a beer drinking and record spinning session, they discovered some awesome songs from their home country and decided to cover the ones they like the most. That results in groovy stoner rock versions of songs by Bachman Turner Overdrive, Red Rider, Doug and The Slugs, Neil Young and Stampeders. Yet, the band manages not only to cover the songs but to make them their own, eventually resulting in a surprisingly coherent sounding ep. Although, as good as the ep is, I can't help but continuously singing South Park's 'Blame Canada'. Perhaps a cover idea for the future? 

The Empire Line - Syndicat de la Couture

electronic / ambient
Avian
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Scandinavian multi-disciplinary artists Jonas Rönnberg & Christian Stadsgaard come up with some haunting electronic ambient like only experienced techno producers can do. Opening with the creepy 'Fragrance Arpege', this ep is as atmospheric as it is varied. 'Cafe Anglais' drives on electronic percussion and unidentified noises while 'Jewelry Armoire' is post-apocalyptic soundtrack material with eerie soundscapes. Closer 'Syndicat de la Couture' eventually brings out the analog beats and techno influences, but in a good way, a trancy and somewhat hypnotic way. Nice little gem, certainly recommended.

Movement Of Static - Novelty Seekers

post rock
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We also have something nice for fans of post rock, namely the Greek band Movement Of Static who have released their quite promising debut ep. Although, ep, the whole thing last over half an hour, which gives us plenty of time to get acquainted with these beautiful tunes. In four songs, Movement Of Static provides the listener with an excellent blend of post rock and ambient with some heavier passages and loads of atmosphere. Opener 'Telomeres' is a brilliant piece of work, dark, creepy and immersive, like Godspeed meets Deftones.  If you like well-varied post rock music, you just can't go wrong with this ep.

Cowards - Still

black metal / hardcore
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Somewhere in the extreme spectrum of the musical universe, we find French horde Cowards and their brand new ep 'Still'. With a blend of black metal, hardcore and sludge, this act plans a vicious assault on your sanity. The music is gritty, noisy and more in-your-face than you can imagine. Pulverising riffs, blasting drums and a vocalist who seemingly feels like he doesn't need his lungs, this thing is out for nothing less than utter destruction. However, they do have a sense of humor, brilliantly covering The Horrorist's 'One Night In NYC', which actually is one of the coolest covers I've ever heard. Anyway, if you want music to murder you, this ep might be worth a shot

Dead Neanderthals - Dolphin

heavy jazz / noise rock
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Dutch heavy jazz combo Dead Neanderthals are seemingly doing everything in their power to make something unique. As a gift to their fans, they uploaded this eleven minutes lasting epos of sax, drums, chaos, intensity and insanity. It's stuff like this that connects the jazz scene with the grindcore and noise rock scenes and I have no idea what most jazz fans will think about this. That aside, I would recommend checking it out, preferably at a ridiculously loud volume and start throwing things against the walls. It therapeutic, I promise, you'll feel a lot better when it's all over. Rare jongens, die Nederlanders...

The Stone Cox - Blackboard

alternative rock
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Hell yeah, time to rock 'n roll  and for that French combo The Stone Cox are the perfect companions. On this ep, they come up with three high energy rock tracks, influenced by everything between Led Zeppelin and Foo Fighters. The first two are heavy and groovy rockers that can get every party started. Closer 'Not Going Home (Hard Red Sun)' somewhat reminds me of a band like The Scabs and shows a more musically gifted side of this band. Anyhow, rockers of all ages can easily appreciate this ep and I hope that soon this will be followed by a full-length. 

Death Metal Pope - Harvest

doom metal
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Imagine that, a death metal pope, growling his yearly "urbi et orbi" from a black and red painted Vatican. Would be funny. However, this Death Metal Pope has nothing to do with Christianity and just barely with death metal. This is a doom metal band which often comes very close to Black Sabbath and on other occasions blasts some guttural grunts and some psychedelic passages in your face. Although I still had my doubts in title track 'Harvest', 'From The Dust Returned' convinced me that this is an awesome ep, one that is certainly worth your attention if you're into old school doom. A must-have for doom fans, that's for sure.

Ben Blutzukker - Analog Blood

heavy metal
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German one man electro band Blutzukker becomes German one man metal band Ben Blutzukker and comes up with something surprising. As you can see on the cover, one of the influences is Guns 'n Roses but the whole thing sounds more like an Abbath side project, exploring the massive history of heavy metal. The four songs on this ep are quite gritty metal songs, reminding me of acts like Venom or Motorhead. Not bad for songs that were initially electro/industrial tunes. My favorite is 'Red' but I'd certainly recommend every open minded metalhead to check this out and compare the songs to the originals.

A Cunning Man - Practical Applications Of Theurgy

power metal / heavy metal
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Another one man project, and one with a quite unusual twist. A Cunning Man describes his act as "One man metal project with a strong Scottish accent", something I can't deny. Of course, the Scottish accent makes the whole thing sound somewhat weird and drags it into the world of pagan metal. Yet, the music feels like a mesmerizing amalgamation of metal styles, from the power metal of bands like Hammerfall over black and death metal to modern day arena rock. The ep contains three songs which certainly deserve your attention, especially if you want something familiar yet unique. 

Beneath A Godless Sky - ​Beneath A Godless Sky

hardcore / progressive
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French djent-act Beneath A Godless Sky comes with a debut that will pierce you in more ways that you could possibly imagine. Now, personally, I'm not a connoisseur of the whole djent scene, which to me makes this whole ep sound like something between Meshuggah, Periphery and Tesseract. I guess that's not a band list of bands to be compared with. I do know that the songs on this thing are loaded with energy, intensity and brutality. Besides, some passages here are damn immersive and most riffs are well-worth of an intense headbanging session. In its entirety, I know that this is nothing for me but for fans of progressive hardcore and djent, it is definitely a must-have.

Elusion - Desert Of Enticement

symphonic meal / gothic meal
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This debut by Belgian band Elusion does not sound like a debut, far from it. If you told me that this was a new effort by After Forever or Epica, I might have believed you. The three songs on this ep are high quality symphonic metal songs, played by seasoned musicians and sung by a talented  woman. What's more, these songs rock, making them perfect headbanging material. Personally, I didn't really follow this particular genre anymore but I'm damn sure that these three tunes, especially the folky closer 'Facade' will appear in my day-to-day playlist quite often from now on. They should appear in yours too if you're into this genre.

Rumah - A View To The Sea

techno
Wolfskuil
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At festivals, I often wander into the dance hall, even though I do not consider myself a techno fan. However, I usually enjoyed these sonic adventures for a while, which is exactly why I sometimes decide to review a techno ep This one comes from English producer Rumah and contains four high energy dance tunes, mainly inspired by the Detroit scene of the nineties. The first act that came to mind to compare this ep with, was Joey Beltram and you can add people like Jeff Mills or Dave Clarke to that list as well. So yes, this is a recommended release if you're in for some decent, old school dance music.

American Anymen + Lise - Oui

alternative / singer-songwriter
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From the United States comes a nice cooperation between anti-folk act American Anymen and singer-songwriter/keyboardist Lise. In four songs, both acts seem to explore the possibilities of this get together. Opener 'Nobody Made Me Smile Like You Did' is an excellent ballad while 'Less Complex' and 'Does Anybody Still Think Of Me' are uplifting rock songs, driving on acoustic guitars. Closer 'H' is another ballad, but probably my favorite track on this album. I wouldn't really know who to compare this ep with, Beck maybe? But then again, nice pop songs like these don't need comparison, they just need to be listened to.

The Vomiting Dinosaurs - Exoplanets

death metal / thrash metal
Grimoire Records
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And we end this edition of Brieviews with a short but destructive assault by American thrash-death horde The Vomiting Dinosaurs. In mere  fifteen minutes this trio blasts nine songs of gore and brutality over their listeners and I'm sure those listeners will enjoy the abuse.  Most of the songs drive on fierce hardcore punk tempos and issue an array of guttural growls and screams. If this stuff doesn't get your grindcore party started, you are not having a grindcore party, that's for damn fucking bloody sure. A favorite? Nope, this whole thing is only fifteen minutes long, which makes the entire thing well suited for a session of audible SM.

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Brieviews 17

17/12/2016

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Ummagma + A.R.Kane - Winter Tale 

dream pop
bandcamp
Ummagma
A.R. Kane
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The one thing I dislike about Christmas, is the music. From those appaling bells to the 'Frohe Weihnachten' by The Wiener Sängerknaben, it's all horrible. Luckily, this year, there's a decent alternative, a little cooperative single by shoegaze / dream pop acts Ummagma and A.R. Kane. 'Winter Tale' is a gentle, dreamy and quite minimal song, guaranteed to get you into the wintery atmosphere. If you're into stuff like Cocteau Twins, 'Winter Tale' could easily guide you through the darkest days of winter. I also really dig the two remixes, taking on an ambient approach. Nice work...

Verein Freude - Schnappschuss

jazz / krautrock / post rock
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Somewhere between the immersive atmosphere of post rock and the psychedelic approach of krautrock we find the inspiring music of Verein Freude, a German band. On their facebook page, this quartet mentions Miles Davis, Avishai Cohen and several other jazz-musicians, and with good reason too. The music on this ep is a perfect combination of jazz and post rock, well, the mild, subdued version of post rock that is. The end result is a nice relaxed piece of music, perfectly suited for the quiet winter evenings and the lounge bars at the summer beaches alike. Check it out, this is a pleasurable listen.

dy - Flip Side

electronic / idm
ampbitifgo
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On to the electronic scene then, where we meet a project named Dy and his weird, gloomy electronics. In a way, I think it's safe to place this ep between your Aphex Twin and Autechre albums. Dark, haunting soundscapes and broken rhythms make up most of this release, brilliantly highlighting in 'Flipped Out'. Although, I have the say, that eerie opener, 'Cheap Seats' is a great piece of electronic (dark) ambient as well, reminding me even of Deutsch Nepal's percussion rich works. In all, this is a splendid effort, containing five original and immersive pieces of electronic sound art, definitely good enough for my daily playlist.

Architectural - Cubismo

techno
Triple Vision
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Time to put on your dancing shoes and join me in the discotheque. Spanish producer Architectural comes up with an ep containing four dance tracks, seemingly inspired by the early industrial techno scene of Detroit where strange soundscapes and noises meet repetitive beats and minimal percussion. For me, the ep highlights in the second track ('Cubismo 8.2 (Lost in Buenos Aires)), probably because of those awesome ambient soundscapes. Yet, I just might recommend this one to everyone who isn't afraid of some electronic dance music once in awhile, especially those who nudge towards industrial.

Guruzsmás - Üst A Gríz Felett​

rock / experimental
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Back to the world of rock music, more specifically the experimental corners of that industry. Guruzsmás is a band from Hungary, four guys playing some complex, confusing and fascinating music. It's just as alternative as it's psychedelic and reeks just as much of jazz than it reminds me of Frank Zappa. There are flashes of surf rock, post rock, math rock, noise rock and so on. Hell, there is a didgeridoo and it's mainly instrumental, apart from some troath-singing. Yes, this is a weird album, but nonetheless one that deserves your attention if you want something else, something unique. This is something unique!!!

Crimson Tusk - Crimson Tusk

stoner / doom
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Driven by the sheer power of the riff, Oxford quartet Crimson Tusk come up with a heavy but groovy four track ep. On this, they deliver a solid blend of sludge metal, stoner rock and heavy blues, obviously resulting in delicious fuzzed out rock songs in the vein of Dopethrone, Bongzilla, Weedeater and so on. My favorite track is 'Stray Dog', a guaranteed party started, but I guess that could easily be said about all four of these tunes. Even more so, throughout the album, the party seems to intensify. 'Rollin' made me start a little head-banging session. What a fine stoner doom tune that is. Stoner doomers, you have got to buy this one!!!

Cities of Mars - Celestial Mistress

psychedelic doom
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Swedish doom masters Cities Of Mars take us on an interplanetary mission. With heavy riffing, psychedelic passages and firm, intense vocals, this trio comes knocking on the doors of Yob, Conan, Mastodon and The Obsessed. The three tracks on this ep are simply epic doom metal anthems, with title track 'Celestial Mistress' being an eleven minutes lasting highlight, both on this ep and in the whole doom metal scene. Fans of the above mentioned bands can easily trust Cities Of Mars to deliver the goods so it'll be no surprising that this galactic gem comes highly recommended.

Ur - Hail Death

black metal / doom / thrash
Arachnophobia Records
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Another shocking piece of extremism comes from Polish horde Ur. They present a six track ep with a grim blend of thrash, doom and black metal. The result is a damn varied piece of work with some fierce headbanging potential. Bands that come to mind include Voivod, Venom, Sodom, Absu, Marduk and so on. Yet, it does feel like a coherent effort. 'The Tongue Of Fire' is probably my favorite song on this one but that's a difficult choice to make. Whom I'd recommend it to? Well, obviously  all those old school black & thrash metal fans out there. This is the real shit!

Dark Messiah - Dark Messiah

thrash metal
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Hailing from Canada, Dark Messiah blends metal, metal and metal into metal. The band was formed in the summer of 2015 and already come up with their debut ep. In a way you can actually hear that. Although the five songs here are decent metal tunes, they're not yet close to the heroes that influenced Dark Messiah (you know, Metallica, Megadeth, Pantera...). But who knows, give time, effort and a professional producer, the future might shine bright for these Canadians. If so, in a few years, many fans will start looking for this debut, so you might as well just buy it now...

Stillborn Slave - 7 Ways To Die

metalcore
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Formed in 2009, French melodic hardcore combo Stillborn Slave have a lot more experience under their belts than the band above, and you can actually hear that. In seven songs, with a total of twenty-eight minutes, these guys blast some brutal metalcore, deathcore or whatever core through your speakers. The absolute highlight is 'End Of Everything', a song that sounds destructive enough to deserve such a title. This definitely is something for the younger generation of metalheads. However, I'm sure seasoned metal fans can easily appreciate the high level of musicality on this one.

Expo Seventy - America Here & Now Sessions 

drone / ambient / psychedelic
Essence Music
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After all that metallic violence, it's time for something completely different. For that, this massive jam session definitely is a highly recommended piece of work. Like we're used to from Justin Wright, this album is an hypnotic trip through cosmic music and psychedelic rock, something between acts like Om, Earth and Barn Owl, along with the jam bands from the sixties and seventies . This time, two drummers have been added to the mix, giving the whole something jazzy and psychedelic. The end result is a mesmerizing album that will definitely accompany my late-nite writing sessions from now on.

Tellma - Swansong

folk / rock
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Tellma is a French duo, dedicated to playing elegant rock music and that's exactly what you get on this ep. The acoustic guitar is the central instrument on which a number of calm, emotional pop rock songs are written. The songs are not complex, not overly distorted, not rocking your socks off but they are certainly a pleasure to listen to. The music reminds me a bit of Radiohead, David Bowie and Jeff Buckley. The title track remains my favorite, followed by the tearjerking version of Queen's  'The Show Must Go On'.

Deathblow - Demolition Deployment

thrash metal
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While preparing their upcoming full-length, Salt Lake City thrashers Deathblow throw this short but brutal assault in our faces. The ep contains two songs and a cover version of Motorhead's 'Mean Machine'.  Obviously, this is stuff to bang your head to. Think Overkill, Kreator, Testament, any of your eighties thrash favorites and you'll be very close to what Deathblow delivers. It's fast, varied and relentless, exactly what this kind of music is supposed to be. So thrashers of the world, what are you waiting for? Get your hands on this ep or are you not a true thrasher? I mean, it's only a dollar...

Deep Fryer - Deep Fryer

punk / hardcore
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Songs about hangovers, groundhogs and whatnot, recorded in a basement by a band constisting of members of other Fredericton, New Brunswick based bands, a band with the seering hot name Deep Fryer. I'm not sure if this is all too serious, but that doesn't really matter. What matters is the fact that these are four fierce, aggressive and fast hardcore punk songs that will even make your chamber plants start a moshpit in your living room. My personal favorite? The band's name. I know, I'm not really a hardcore fan but if you are, you have to download the shit out of this. Besides, it's free so you have no excuse not to.

Parallel Colors - Inoculation

post rock / psychedelic / progressive
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Also free, and certainly worth the effort is the very first single by American progressive rockers Parallel Colors. Inspired by everything between Tool, Caspian and Russian Circles, these guys come up with an immersive, technical and varied eight minutes lasting track. If this really is the harbinger of things to come, like a full-length, Parallel Colors might become one of thé discoveries of 2017. I certianly hope that they will send me the album when ready and come over to Belgium and the rest of Europe for some magnificent gigs. This truly is promising stuff...
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Hallupsynagogic – The Myth Of The Cave

28/11/2016

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electronic / trance / techno / psytrance
Biijah Records
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The Myth Of The Cave is the most recent album by Hallupsynagogic, released by Biijah Records, on November 20. With five tracks – being them From Caveman to Alchemist Part I, From Caveman to Alchemist Part II, Ghost Valley, Goblin's Cavern and Hipnagogic Purple (Vs Polybius), The Myth Of The Cave is a trance electronic music album, with an effervescent psychedelic vibe and twist. 

Playing all around with the most entertaining elements of trance music, The Myth Of The Cave has vibrantly skilled and spiraled upbeat harmonies, all perfectly inserted in a very eccentric layer of intelligent rhythms, that remains somewhat constant throughout the whole album. With a distinct playfulness that characterizes ostensibly the spirit of a very basic trance, these five tracks on The Myth Of The Cave really pushes to the limit the basic elements of the genre, relying on a more fully formed traditional design to uplift the development of the rhythms.

Although this feature can be appreciated as a restrict quality, on the other hand, it represents a very compounding weakness, since no innovation is presented here, and the album eventually turns out to the just another trance record, that relies on a “same old” model of work. Although the five tracks presented here are not bad at all, they’re also far away of having some significance. Generated by the central axis of the propelling musical device which comes to subsidize the basic outline of the genre, what we really have in The Myth Of The Cave is a very good, decent trance music album, that is incapable of going beyond that. This means that, completely destitute of an impulsive energy and a groundbreaking originality, this album will never achieve a great result. While I reiterate the fact that this album is, indeed, a very good work, its normality and uniformity can’t accomplish too much. Even the more ardent enthusiasts of the genre will feel bored after listening to this album only a handful of times. 

A good trance music album, that doesn’t explore the vitality of its potential, or the amplitude of the genre per se, The Myth Of The Cave is a very good work, but, unfortunately it stops there. Completely incapable of going further on the path of limitless musical possibilities, exploration and exhilaration, this album is destined to lose itself in the road to sameness. In the meanwhile, you can certainly listen to it, and enjoy, at least to a certain degree. Sooner or later, you will inevitably forget about it. You can be positive about that.       



​Wagner
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Various Artists - Fresh Horizons of Goa v2 – by Moonstar and Rhino

31/10/2016

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psychedelic trance / goa / electronic
Goa Records
Amazon
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A Trance compilation released by Californian label Goa Records, and compiled by electronic music legends Moonstar, also known by his more popular nom de plume Ovnimoon, from Chile, and DJ Rhino, from Greece, the double album contains eighteen of the most energized and furious tracks ever created in Trance music, on virtually all subgenres, from Goa to Neo and Progressive, amongst many others.

Divided in two cd’s, the first one has the following tracks: Rules of Levitation, by PsyBuddy, Physical Effort, by Dee, Vaisnava, by Analog Minds, Supernova, by GalactrixX, D.N.A, by Solar Waves, Ancient Tales, by Yar Zaa, Bounty Hunter, by Barby, Luminous Void, by Recursion Loop and Sweet Bitches, by Electit. The second CD has the following track list: Lost In Time, by Trickster, Attraction, by Spectro Senses, Polos, by Sinergia, Living The Dream, by Xamek, Misdirection, by tinY, Revelation, by The Unknown, Ghost of Nebula, by Goa Luni, Outer Space In My Mind, by Lectro Spektral Daze and Silent Sweeper (Cactus Arising Remix), by Omnivox.

A great compilation that reunites the most refined and distilled tracks ever produced on the genre, this exhilarating selection of songs certainly supplies an enormous niche within the Trance music scene. While this genre is primarily characterized by an harmonic noisy repetition, it appeals mostly to a very specific audience, working splendidly in live concerts and electronic music festivals. But, of course, if you are an enthusiast of the genre, obviously you can appreciate a great compilation like this one also at the comfort of your own house.

Characterized primarily by a uniformity that satisfies the listener by inserting him in a very familiar confluence of pronounced shattering sounds, these Trance tracks, that amazingly explores all of its different subgenres, reveals in detail the stylistic zone of harmonies upon which the path of its cohesive dynamics is centered. With the tonalities of the rhythms being constant, most of them converge to a very coherent stance, that summarizes altogether the sonorous principles upon which the genre relies on. However, with each track being approximately seven minutes long, you have to be a very enthusiastic fan of the genre, to be proud of such a collection of sounds. 

With a firm and visible pattern of evaluation that circles the harmony, making the sound intrinsic to its own melody resurface below the lurid challenges of a sphere that breaks the boundaries between antagonistic cadences, most tracks in this compilation are really centered upon a perfect match that counterbalances melody and resonance, revering time loops that shifts the breaks between continuity and bilateral noise. 


While I cannot say I’m particularly attracted to Trance music, this compilation really sounded astonishing to me. Beautiful, transcendental, expansive and true to the genre, enthusiasts of Trance music certainly have a lot of motives to celebrate. While I haven’t found any bad track that in my opinion should be tackled out, this compilation really outstood itself for its cohesion, coherence and beauty, celebrating the genre as a whole, without forgetting its most elusive elements, nor neglecting its diverse subgenres. While maybe I could possibly point it out as a prospective fault the excessively long duration of each track, I know that this is peculiar to this type of music, given the fact that Trance is a genre especially fit for live performances, as its popularity can be properly seen and evaluated at the prominence of the genre in the dance music scene worldwide, and electronic music festivals.                     

Undoubtedly a very good compilation, Fresh Horizons of Goa v2, with tracks appropriately selected by two authorities on the scene – artists Moonstar and Rhino – definitely can be considered among the best ever created on the genre. Even people who are not familiar with Trance music will feel amused listening to it, working also as a great introduction to the genre. Certainly, imposes respect, and deserves to make history, having enough strength on its axis to reach its audience with power and impact.  


​Wagner
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Brieviews part 13

29/9/2016

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Shikobi - Pull The Trigger

alternative rock / grunge / nu-metal
soundcloud
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I guess it's only logical that we're currently witnessing the beginning of a huge nineties revival, and I think it's a good thing too. Take this American quartet for example. They just released a nice ep with four tracks that range from grunge to nu-metal and from alternative rock to stoner rock. Bands that come to mind include Red Hot Chili Peppers, Linkin Park, Clawfinger and Rage Against The Machine. With hard hitting guitars, strong raps and vocals and plenty of dynamics Shikobi will have no problem conquering the world of rock. All they need now is one massive hit and a full-length and they're ready to collect huge shares of fans...

Tölva - Wide Shot

post rock
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Is the post rock genre already old enough to have an old-school scene? If so, French quartet Tölva could soon become a force to be reckoned with. Inspired by the greats, you know, Godspeed, You Russian, This Will Destroy the Explosions in Mogwai, that kind of stuff, Törva delivered a very strong debut ep with all the necessary elements to make it a strong competitor. The opener 'Poveglia' remains my favorite and I really enjoy the calm breather 'Puzzle' as well. The other two track? Well, they're equally loaded with beautiful soundscapes, a blissful atmosphere and all the emotions only decent post rock can deliver. This is a great, and highly recommended, debut.


Leaving Passenger - When It's Done

alternative rock / grunge
Amazon
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See? I told you we were facing a nineties revival. It's hit France now too, and it hit it good. Leaving Passenger is an alternative rock band from Paris who are about to debut with this magnificent ep. Influenced by the likes of Hoobastank, Incubus, Linkin Park and Nickelback, these guys come up with some  strong and highly convincing songs., strangely enough reminding me of Tool and Deftones. 'Lies On The Floor' is a world class song, and definitely not the only one on this ep. I love the riffs, who show some stoner rock influences as well. But the coolest thing about this is the use of electronics to give the whole thing an extra touch, something glitchy often. This is a brilliant ep.


Bookworms - Anòmia 

electronic / techno
Anomia
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I had no idea what to expect from this 12" but the opening track 'Divulge' certainly got my attention. Glitchy ambient and otherworldly soundscapes filled the room, much to my delight. On 'Patterned' the techno beats arrive and I thought, "well, why not" and started shaking my ass a little. The music reminds me a bit of acts like Riou or Unit Moebius, two acts I quite like fro their experimental approach to electronic dance music. In that aspect, the title track might be my favorite but I like this whole ep, even the somewhat nineties inspired '500 Words'. So yeah, perhaps it's a good idea to check this out and do a little dance. It's a nice change from the stuff we usually listen to...


In Slaughter Natives and Nihil - Ventre

dark ambient
Cyclic Law
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When French artist and writer Nihil asked Swedish one-man martial ambient act In Slaughter Natives to compose the soundtrack for his book, something very interesting happened. I don't know which is the darkest element of this experience: the music, the artwork or the short stories. Main theme is the search for identity of the main character, a man who accidentally awakes from the artificial lethargy everyone has been submerged into for ages. The amazingly detailed artwork mostly displays one desperate human being, face or eyes covered. The soundtrack only emphasizes the lonely and frightening atmosphere of the whole. In Slaughter Natives again delivers top-shelf dark ambient and martial industrial soundscapes. For fans of Puissance, Triarii, Raison d'Être but also recommended to anyone who's fed up with the muzak which comes gushing out of your radio...


Sona Nyl - Refugee

electronic / dark ambient / industrial / noise
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We're not done with crawling through utter darkness yet. In fact, we're going deeper down into a world where sounds are no longer natural, no longer bearable for the ordinary person. Fans of electronic drones, dark ambient and dark industrial noise on the other hand will have a blast with this album from French one-man project Sona Nyl. This album constantly balances on the edge between musicality and noise and quite often blatantly crossing over. The result is a captivating album, loaded with unidentified noises, creeping, crawling and repetitive enough to grind you into a deep and gloomy state of trance. This is something for fans of everything between ​Aghiatrias, Atrium Carceri and Atrax Morgue 


Astarium/Antiquus Scriptum - Hymns To The Ancient Northland

dark ambient / neo classical
Astarium
Antiquus Scriptum
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Russian dark ambient and neoclassical project Astarium has been around for quite some time now, always delivering some strong and mysterious music. On this cooperation with Portuguese act Antiquus Scriptum that is no different. The eight tracks delivered by Astarium are once again representations of mystical worlds and times with beautiful arrangements and a eerie atmosphere. Antiquus Scriptum adds another set of strange songs, perhaps a bit more experimental and bizarre but nonetheless very interesting. There is something pagan, something medieval to this music and clearly something I can appreciate. This is an excellent split which you should check out if you're into ancient folk and gloomy musical bliss.


Clara Engel - Visitors Are Allowed One Kiss

folk 
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Aah, the beauty of being an introvert. It's so nice to dwell in someone's mind by exploring their music and that certainly is the case on this album by Canadian singer songwriter Clara Engel. Here and there aided by people like Aidan Baker, Armen Ra, Thor Harris and Siavash Amini, this woman delivers intimate but soulful folk songs with guitar, vocals and soundscapes or drones. The result is a pleasure to listen to, often even evoking a teardrop. For me, it's hard to compare this to other artists, because it's a realm I don't often visit. But that doesn't matter, all you need to know about this album is the captivating and immersive nature and the simply beautiful songs, loaded with emotions. Definitely recommended stuff.


Dominique Charpentier - Passages

classical
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Dominique Charpentier is a multi-instrumentalist from France. He chose the piano for his first full-length album, his instrument of predilection. and you can immediately hear that this is one very talented fellow. He has also made soundtracks for films and video games in his home studio, and you can hear impressive orchestral compositions on his soundcloud page. The piano songs on Passages are breathtaking gems that remind of the works of Yann Tiersen and Ludovico Einaudi, two other self-made musicians and Carpentier's main influences. I'd say: go check this album out now!


Nangilima - Shards of Loss

doom
Xtreem Music
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Once starting out as a blackened doom metal band, Swedish act Nangilima gradually evolved into the symphonic doom death combo they are today. Their new single, 'Shards Of Loss' contains two tracks which should every fan of Saturnus, Novembers Doom, My Dying Bride and Swallow the Sun tremble with excitement. Deep guttural growls and thick riffs are being accompagnied with piano and orchestral arrangements to create vast sonic journeys. Both songs are varied enough to remain interesting and lingering enough to maintain that always awesome doom metal bliss. See, this is why I love this genre so much. It comes from deep within and speaks directly to the darkest of souls.


Damnatus - Io odio la vita

black metal
bandcamp
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When an album title translates as "I hate life", you know you can expect something depressive and harsh. And yes, that's exactly what this Italian one-man act delivers. After an intro, hell breaks loose with harsh, minimal, mainly slow, gritty and primitive black metal, somehow reminding me of some of those ancient pioneers in the scene. Yet, the mid-tempo approach of songs like 'Primavera Depressa' has something post-punkish as well. 'Ricaduta' is probably my favorite track on this album, one that shows decent musical skills and a flair for a bleak atmosphere. I recommend this album to all fans of Nyktalgia, Nortt and Xasthur, or anyone who thinks life is something to be suffered, not enjoyed...


Gonçalo Almeida & Rutger Zuydervelt - Jangadas

experimental / noise / improv
Cylinder Recordings
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What happens when an experienced double bassist and a seasoned electronic experimentalist climb on stage together? Well, apparently you get something highly impressive that defies all categorization, like this twenty minutes lasting orgy of drones, soundscapes noises and hints of jazz. This release was recorded during a gig the two artists did in Rotterdam and damn it, it makes me regret not being there. In its digital form it's already impressive but my guess is that the concert itself has been intensely captivating and hypnotizing. Then again, that's something we're already used to with Machinefabriek, but still, this surely is something you need if you're into experimental ingenuity...


Tomy Lobo - Golden Birds

alternative rock / electronic / indie
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Hailing from France, Tomy Lobo doesn't seem to be interesting in doing this normally. The indie rock this act delivers, drives on modern electronic sounds but also seems to showcase a tremendous flair for the bombast of alternative rock. The result is a combination of everything you can hear on a decent alternative music radio station. You can dance to it, you can kneel-down and cry your eyes out to it or you can just shake your head in absolute approval. Personally, I prefer the latter but wouldn't mind dancing to gems like 'Night Prism' or the gloomy dubstep track 'Erase It All'. It's a bit like Oscar and the Wolf, but better. Way better. Check it out, you just might have found something new to expand your collection.


Drei Affen - Drei Affen

crust / screamo / post-hardcore / noise rock
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Hailing from the beautiful country of Spain, but a bit more on the noisy spectrum of the musical industry, comes this raunchy and loud trio, Drei Affen and their untitled blast of sheer aggression. With a blend of screamo, noise rock and post-hardcore, this trio is out for nothing less than utter destruction and as far as I'm concerned, it works pretty well. I mean, listening to this ep already caused me to throw a hot cup of coffee at a mosquito and punish a pillow for its uncomfortable position. This music is intense, that's for damn sure, and I think it's not suitable for everyone. Yet, for fans of ruthless violence, this definitely comes highly recommend. I'm sure live shows by this trio will cause a lot of bruises and broken noses...


Valborg - Werwolf

gothic metal / death metal / doom
Temple Of Torturous
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We end this edition of Brieviews with two harsh doom songs with a gloomy, gothic atmosphere. German band Valborg has been compared to bands like Type O Negative, Celtic Frost and Triptykon and who am I to contradict that. Fans of these bands will certainly appreciate these massively immersive pieces of death doom but I still feel that Valborg has its own sound, somewhat industrial, somewhat dirty and vampiric. I'm sure Bela Lugosi would have loved the brilliant title track if he were still alive. Oh well, go ahead, check this out and join me in hoping that Valborg will come up with a stunning full-length and tour in the near future.

writers: Serge & Eline
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Krishna - Ascend To Nothing

6/9/2016

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I don't know, experimental jazz techno noise?
Silken Tofu
bandcamp
Dead Neanderthals
Drvg Cvltvre
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Since I experienced Dead Neanderthals at Incubate a few years ago, I've been trying to follow whatever these guys are doing. I admit, I can't keep up with everything but I do my very best. So when I saw that name on the sticker attached to the album, I didn't hesitate. I ripped the plastic off the digipac, fed the cd to my cd player and turned up the volume. Before I realized, I was dancing my ass off and the patients from the plastic surgery hospital across the street were looking and laughing at me. Needless to say, I cannot dance but I will repeat these spastic movements every time I hear this music again.

This album is a collaboration between heavy jazz combo Dead Neanderthals and Dutch psychic house act Drvg Cvltvre. It contains one track, which is a thirty-five minutes lasting dance track, driving on a solid beat and containing loads of soundscapes and tiny variations. It's an immersive jamsession with techno beats, drones, saxophone and guitars, guaranteed to get your butt moving. Unfortunately, there is little else to say about this release, apart from the fact that it's a massive psychedelic and hypnotic trip that you definitely should try out. I hope that this release is followed by a few live performances real soon. I'm absolutely positive that it will get entire audiences in a deep state of trance.


​Serge
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Brieviews Part 9

16/8/2016

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Intro: Not long ago, we published a massive amount of brieviews without giving a damn about genre restrictions. As you may already know, everything is welcome on Merchants Of Air and we do our very best to recommend some awesome stuff. That set of brieviews gained us a lot of positive reactions, more than enough to continue that tradition. So today I'd like to present another heap of brieview, ranging from all kinds of metal to classical music but also some dance floor fillers and straight in-your-face rock 'n roll. Enjoy...

The Lizzies - Good Luck

rock / hard rock
The Sign Records
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Named after a street gang in the movie 'The Warriors (1979)', Spanish four-piece Lizzies come up with some good old fashioned rock 'n roll. These women have borrowed to in-your-face attitude of acts like The Ramones and combine it with vintage hard rock and heavy metal. The result is a heavy rocking album with strong songs, at times reminding me of early Iron Maiden or Judas Priest. The whole thing seems to go back to the early eighties, when metal was still in its childhood. My favorite track is the fierce 'Speed On The Road' but pretty much every song on this debut can easily get a party started. I hope we'll be hearing a lot from these ladies in the near future.


Skognatt - Landscape of Ice

atmospheric black metal
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Well, the album cover and the title pretty much say all you need to know about this two-track ep by German act Skognatt. This is a cold and harsh but highly atmospheric piece of depressive black metal, loaded with keyboard arrangements and folk elements. Both songs are slow and come with a decent amount of variation. Here and there I'm reminded of acts like Dimmu Borgir, Vinterriket, Summoning and Nortt, and even Samael comes to mind once in awhile. The lack of blast beats doesn't make these tracks any less intense. On the contrary, this is utter despair, bleakness and suicidal depression at its best. I know, that doesn't sound very positive, but then again, a black metal album is never supposed to sound positive.


Rattleplague - ​Bourbon Scenes

hard rock / southern rock / stoner rock / grunge
Inverse Records
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Hailing from the deepest ranches of southern Finland, the rockers of Rattleplague come up with a pretty nasty ep. They blend southern rock with grunge and heavy party rock 'n roll, resulting in a drunken orgy of riffs, drums and harsh, mean vocals. The songs remind me of something between Alice In Chains, Motorhead and White Zombie, which obviously means "party time". Besides, for some reason I think Slayer has been on of Rattleplagues influences, but I could be wrong about that. Anyway, 'Drain' is a brilliant song,  'Parasite Brothel' drags Kuyss into the world of metal and 'Hollywood Diabolical' is what happens when Max Cavalera would join Motley Crue. You WILL party!!!


The Apex - Underbelly

death metal
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Whoever claims that Canadians are too nice, should listen to this murderous gem by technical specialists The Apex. With brutal yet technical death metal, incorporating elements from mathcore, this three track is a massive assault on your mental health. Bits of Meshuggah, flashes of Dillinger Escape Plan and hints of Fear Factory drag you down into a dark hole where they beat you senseless with unexpected hooks, skullgrinding riffs and whatnot. According to the biography, the vocalist suffers from a form of Neurogenic Stammering, which effects his speech so he's unable to carry on a normal conversation, but he can growl and scream like the best metal vocalist out there.


Misanthropic Rage - ​Qualia

black metal
Godz Ov War Productions
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From one of the most dissonant and eerie quarters of the black metal scene, comes the new ep by Polish avant-garde act Misanthropic Rage. One massive, seventeen minutes lasting epos and two deranged and brutal piece of extreme metal, that's what you get on this little gem. The immense title track is a stunning and highly varied piece of music, one you easily lose yourself in if you're into the weird extremes. The other two aren't any less impressive by the way, and -obviously- they are excellent headbanging material. I hope this ep will be followed by a full-length and a tour in the near future because this act definitely is something today's black metal scene needs.


Sea Of Bones / Ramlord - Split

sludge / doom 
Broken Limbs Records
Sea Of Bones
Ramlord
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According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the heaviest thing to ever be weighed as of 2015 was the Revolving Service Structure of launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Well, it's 2016 now and New Haven, CT residents Sea Of Bones are up for the challenge to create something heavier. Their contribution to this split is intensely dark, atmospheric, monolithic, fuzz-out and pitch black. Their colleagues from Ramlord smash another piece of thick sonic filth in our faces, which is equally impressive. Both tracks last about ten minutes, plenty of time to roll over their listener with a repetitive steamroller. If you like heavy, you must pre-order this split now!



Kalloused - Damn You Believer

sludge / doom / black metal
Third Eye Rex
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UK residents Kalloused call their music "noise-metal" and quite frankly, I think that's right on the spot. The stuff on this ep somewhat sounds like the metal version of harsh, repetitive noise, driving on a torpid tempo and thick, skull bashing riffs. Above all of that, the vocalist screams his lungs out in perfect blackened noise tradition. There are hints of hardcore but the majority of this album is intense, heavy and immersive sludge doom which is perfectly capable of driving a select audience into a pitch black state of trance. Perhaps one day I can be one of those audience members, but for now, I'll just use this ep as the ultimate soundtrack for all my aggressive activities...


Ordo Omegae Absolutae - Compendium Ordinis

black metal
Altere Records
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The more things change, the more they stay the same. That certainly counts for this haunting compilation from Belgian blackened horde Ordo Omegae Absolutae. Although quite varied and including some dark ambient elements, the music on this album is fierce and often depressive old school black metal, driven by the collected negativity of the band members. The overall atmosphere is darker than you can possibly imagine. At times the somewhat musical black metal is overruled by uncontrollable noise. On other occasions, folky passages have been interlaced with the sheer brutality of the rest of the music. This is impressive stuff which every black metal fan needs to check out.


Hostage Of Fate - II

death metal / grindcore
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Greek duo Hostage Of Fate doesn't seem to care about genres. In fact, their main influences are the extreme bands from the eighties and nineties, regardless whether they're death metal, thrash metal, speed metal or hardcore. All they want to do, is make aggressive and pissed-off music and in that they certainly succeeded. This album is loaded with metallic chaos, brutal vocals, spine shattering blast beats and brainfucking riffs. Yet, the whole thing feels extremely experimental, which is quite impressive if you think about how minimalistic the music really is. It's definitely something different, different from pretty much every death metal album I've heard...


Kai Reznik - ​Scary Sleep Paralysis

electronic / industrial
bandcamp
Atypeek
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Speaking about different albums, this ep certainly is something else. No guitars, just synths, drum machines and at times the guiding voice of Sasha Andrès (from the band Heliogabale). However, that does not mean that this is a soft piece of music, on the contrary. The songs on this album come very close to eighties electronic new wave acts like Suicide, The Klinik, Neon Judgement, Scorn.... Yet, it also has a very modern edge. 'Monster5', for example, is a brilliant approach to dubstep, brilliant enough to not be actual dubstep. There's also a bit of trip-hop, some ambient and some otherworldly melodies with church organs. What else could you need? This is an awesome ep.


Tambour - Chapitre II

ambient / classical
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Sometimes we all need a little break, and I have the perfect ep for that. Tambour is Simon P. Castonguay, a pianist and composer from Montreal. On this ep, he treats us to some gentle tunes of sweet and brisk modern classical music. Aided by a string quartet, his piano melodies sound melancholic yet playful, like a safe haven in a violent world. If you are into the music of people like Olafur Arnalds, Sebastian Plano or Bersarin Quartett, you should definitely check out this little gem. The somewhat jazzy 'Sleepers' is my favorite track on this ep, probably because of the beautiful sound of the clarinet. 'Valse N.1' also brings a nostalgic smile to my face. Beautiful stuff...


Haxis - City Lights

electro / industrial
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Time to get your dancing shoes and join me on the dark dance floor where French act Haxis invites us to shake our butts to his highly enjoyable fusion of synthpop and industrial. The songs on this ep drive on solid beats, electronic soundscapes and grinding distorted guitars. At times the whole thing sounds like Pet Shop Boys meets Die Krupps meets Daft Punk meets VNV Nation meets Project Pitchfork. The amount of energy coming off tracks like 'City Lights' ,'Glide' or 'Just Mad' is astounding and it's almost impossible to sit still on this stuff. I think I'm going to keep an eye on this act because I feel like this unique blend has a lot of potential to grow into something massive...


Dax J. - Illusions Of Power

techno
XLR8R
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Techno isn't something we usually write about on Merchants Of Air, but this ep is a smasher. Ok, I admit, I was already interested when I read that it will be released on Speedy J's label, someone who's musical evolution saved the face of dance music for me. But I must say, opening track 'Reign Of Terror' is a brilliant blend of atmospheric techno , psytrance and eerie acid while other tracks remind me of acts like Self-transforming Machine Elves, Xingu Hill and Unit Moebius. Yeah, I might not know that much about techno, but I do know what I like and this, this I do like, even though things can get a bit too repetitive for me at times. The ep closes with the great break-beat track 'Breaking Visions', my favorite I think


They Danced Like Programmed Angels - The Current​

post rock / ambient
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This American one-man act has a name that describes the songs on this album quite well. Mostly driving on programmed, electronic drums, these cinematic (mostly) instrumental songs gently fill the room. I can hear influences from ambient, from post-rock and from classical music. If you use your imagination, you can indeed see the programmed angels dancing in slow motion while you're drifting through the clouds on a warm night. I know, that  might sound a bit too poetic but this simply is a beautiful album, blending Boards Of Canada with Explosions In The Sky and Plaid with Godspeed You Black Emperor. As often, I'd like to see this live one day, but for now, I'll just enjoy these delightful tunes a few times more...


Rumours - Infant EP

electronic / alternative dance
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Of course this is Belgian, the land of Vive La Fête, Nid & Sancy, Praga Khan, Lords Of Acid, Front 242...Rumours are a band from Ghent, armed with a bunch of electronics and a massive knowledge about electronic dance music. The majority of this album is dance floor filling techno with a gritty, raunchy edge, perfectly suited for fans of The Knife or Liars. However, this acts throws in some cinematic elements as well as some blasts of chaotic industrial. You know, Atari Teenage Riot meets Björk or Zola Jesus meets Ambassador21, something like that. Oh well, just close your eyes and let the beats pummel you into a coma. I know I will...


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Benjamin Finger – 9,5 EP

29/5/2016

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electronic / techno / experimental
Sellout Music
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Well, this is a bit of a surprise. Since it's Sunday, I wanted to start my writing session with a nice, relaxed ambient album. So I loaded this little ep into my media player. After all, I've heard Benjamin Finger's previous albums, and although they had a pretty experimental approach, I usually categorized them under 'ambient'. This time however, instead of relaxing, I've started a little house party in my living room.

In a previous review for this Norwegian composer, I uttered the phrase "this is either uptempo ambient or techno-trance without beats". Well, here come the beats, and they bring a very playful approach to Finger's oeuvre. Now, don't expect this to be stale techno or boring house music. There are still loads of soundscapes, melodic elements and even some repetitive jazz passages. The experimental nature of the music still prevails, that's for sure.

The ep reminds me a bit of acts like Psychick Warriors Ov Gaia, Zen Paradox or Gas and that's a tremendous compliment. Even though I never really was into dance music, I own and enjoy some of these people's records and I certainly enjoy this ep. Now I want to go to a summer festival where Benjamin Finger plays these tunes, and I'll sure as hell be dancing to the beat. I'll meet you on the dancefloor...


​Serge 
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Jon Sheffield - Springboards

5/8/2015

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electronics / techno / experimental
Obsidian Cuts
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It's quite a nice days today and somehow I feel like playing something more joyful than the stuff I usually review for this webzine.  No, now I want something that can put a smile on my face, maybe even something that can make me dance a little bit.  You might not know it, but once in a while I allow my body to make rhythmic spastic movements which resemble dancing.  Don't worry, you'll never see it.  Dancing is restricted to the living room and the kitchen.

Anyway, let's talk about this album for a while because it's fantastic.  Jon Sheffield is an electronic music producer from Columbia, Missouri.  Besides that, he seems to be a stubborn experimentalist who doesn't care about genre restrictions or classifications whatsoever.  However, I have to classify this for this webzine, so here we go.  What we hear on 'Springboards' is a great blend of experimental electronics, ranging from ambient over old school industrial EBM to trip-hop and electroclash with a little bit of IDM, chiptunes and techno thrown into the mix.  Happy now?

The album opens with 'Sally', which mainly functions as intro and shows some of the elements we'll hear on the rest of the album, namely synths and beats.  'What's A Battle' then comes up with strange samples of children's voices and a quite happy sounding melody.  At this time the tempo is still pretty slow but somehow you get the feeling that's about to change soon.  In a certain way, we're still warming up, this is still an intro.

'Amber' opens with acoustic guitars and modest, clean vocals.  At this point I'm actually starting to wonder where Jon Sheffield is going to with this.  Then the song turns into an Autechre-inspired piece of IDM, before going back to the ballad-feel, combined with strange sounds and melodies.  This is a very alienating song, that's for sure.  'Avocado' isn't any less weird by the way, but it's dance-able weirdness, reminding me of some 8-bit and experimental noise album I've listened to a few years ago.

So does 'Chasing Birds' but this great track reminds me of something else as well.  I guess Mr. Sheffield has been listening to acts like Cabaret Voltaire and Crash Course In Science a lot.  This is the kind of old school industrial I really dig, and we're not done there.  'Retour' brings more analog beats driven insanity and 'Two Meds' digs a bit into the world of dark ambient.  Since we reviewed every song so far, let's just continue in that fashion.

The most radio-friendly, and even summer-hit capacity, song is 'Cranky Graig'.  Graig doesn't sound cranky at all but is an uplifting dance song with some old school happy hardcore vocals.  Let's just call this 'Merchants Of Air's Summer-hit of the year', shall we?  Because we're going to plunge into darkness again with the next one, which is my favorite.  'It's the End of the World' is a gloomy dark dance floor hitter in the vein of people like Tommi Stumpff or Fad Gadget.

'This Martian Cap' returns with electronic ballad atmosphere that made 'Amber' a nice song.  'Amber II' is another otherworldly dance tune and closer 'Feelningz' returns the dark electro approach, making it another one of my favorites on this album.  Yes, I like dark music but I also like the other songs on this album.  In fact, this album has been playing a lot in the past few days.  It's currently my 'happy' album and I'm sure I'm going to play it a lot more from now on.



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SHLTR - Kon001

13/6/2015

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Usually we don't really write about EDM releases, mainly because none of us have a background in house, techno and trance music.  They do enter our mailbox though and I often check them out to see if there's anything I can write about them.  Yet, still a lot of them get lost in the huge pile of reviews we still have to go through.  However, once in a while a release pops up that grabs my attention and inspiration comes when I start listening.  So I decide to write about it and see where it will lead us.

In this case, it leads us to some caves at the borders of Belgium and The Netherlands.  These caves have been the scenery for illegal dance parties for decades and it looks like they still are.  I've been to some of those parties, or raves, in the past and it was magical, an experience I will never forget.  Dutch DJ SHLTR draws his inspiration from these strange nights and turns it into highly atmospheric dance music.

There's three tracks on this e.p., each of them driving on continuous analog beats and minimal percussion.  Over these basic elements an array of drones and soundscapes float quite freely, creating a dreamlike sound that has the power to get a lot of people on their feet.  The tracks really sound like little journeys through space and remind me of acts like Gas (Wolfgang Voigt).  

Somehow, it seems like this music was created especially to play at those illegal cave parties.  The wideness of the sound on this e.p. is perfect for the mystical acoustics of these underground dwellings and I'm sure they will add a touch of magic to those nights. Moreover, this music is a decent variation of the stuff I usually listen to, so I'm going to listen to it again and maybe dance a little bit in my man-cave...


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Sinfol - Intra

10/5/2015

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As I mentioned in a previous review, I'm not really a EDM-connoisseur but that won't stop me from writing reviews for dance music.  Being a rock and metal fan never stopped me from shaking my ass to new beat, house and techno in the late eighties and nineties (yes, I am that old), so why would it now?  Music is music and music with passion is worthwhile.

Sinfol is one of the label-owners of the fresh, Amsterdam (NL) based Anagram label.  The label concentrates on releasing quality modern dance music with an open mind and a high dancefloor calibre.  With Intra, Sinfol succeeds in describing his label without (many) words.  This 12" is a perfect example of what Anagram stands for.

Intra contains for dance-anthems which range from ambient over acid to dub techno, all with a quite minimalistic approach and a steady focus on the dancefloor.  Hints of melody and far away soundscapes give the songs a unique and beautiful sound. My favourite track is the mysterious and trancy 'Crystalline' with vocals by Barbara Ford.  This song is a dream of a dance track, highly enjoyable on any volume.  

The other tracks have a similar dreamy atmosphere, driving on coninuous beats and thudding bassline.  I don't know if 'thudding' is a word but if you listen to the bass, you'll realize it's a perfect word to describe it.  Intra is an excellent dance e.p. with enough variation to keep the listener entertained and dancing.  Nice stuff...


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AAAA - Shiva Watts

5/5/2015

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Pssst, do you want to go to a weird party?  It's going to be fun, just get in my van and we're on our way.  Don't worry, nothing bad will happen, we really are in for some fun.  It will be something
unlike you have ever experienced, I promise you.  We'll be dancing and laughing and dancing some more, all night long.  Come on, get in.

Rest assured, dear readers, I do not own a van and I certainly don't go driving downtown to pick up people for some weird parties.  I just made that previous paragraph up while I was making a croque-monsieur and listening to this AAAA album.  The part about 'fun' was true however. This is a fun album, filled with wicked beats, lo-fi dance music and almost ancient electronics.

The music on this album can best be described as experimental electronic dance music.  It doesn't have the ever evolving modern sound of most techno releases these days.  Instead, it drives on sixties and seventies synth sounds and an electroclash feel.  With my limited knowledge of modern dance music, I'd put this somewhere between Little Computer People and Black Dice.

Title track 'Shiva Watts' is a pretty uptempo dance track that flirts with nineties techno but maintains a minimal approach.  'Blackfish', one of my favourites on this album, is a nice piece of
elektro that nudges towards Krafwerk.  The latter often comes to mind by the way, just like ambient synth wizards like Klaus Schulze.  Again, a minimal version.

But we're not done yet.  You can hear a lot of different influences on this album. There's some
eighties hip-hop to be found on Shiva Watts, mainly in the beats on 'Vocall 300', a nice hip shaker of a song.  'SH Crush' and 'Pet Grief' even remind me of old EBM acts like Fad Gadget or Cabaret Voltaire.  The combination of all these elements, makes Shiva Watts an amazingly versatile album with some great tracks.

AAAA is one of those people who deliver a different perspective on dance music.  This is electronic music well worth checking out and well worth giving it a shot when you get the chance to see this live.  No doubt this will be a performance to remember, mainly because you never thought it was possible to do this live in a convincing way...


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Eric Cloutier - Raxeira

3/5/2015

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More dance music?  Well, yes, why not?  It's a rainy sunday and we got nothing else to do today.  So we thought it would be a good idea to annoy the neighbours with some beats.  Later today, when the neighbours are rehearsing their awefully sung jazz music, I'll play some black metal but now we dance.

Eric Cloutier lives in Detroit, Michigan (US) where he makes house and techno music.  Raxeira is his latest e.p., released by Dutch label Wolfkuil Records.  With my limited knowledge of techno music, it's quite difficult to place this in the vast world of electronic dance music.  

'Raxeira' and the remix by Donato Dozzy are quite minimal dance tunes, driving on analog beats and often nervous percussion and synths.  This nervous feel is also present in the second track, 'Palimpsest'.  Yet, it gives the whole a touch of late-night after party energy which is pretty awesome.

So yes, this is a very decent e.p., perfectly suited for dancefloors allover the world.  Beats like these will get any party started...


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Array Access - Variations

3/5/2015

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Now I know, Merchants Of Air is not really known for techno and dance related articles.  In fact, we rarely encounter electronic dance music here.  For some reason, we mainly review rock and metal releases.  However, that doesn't mean we don't appreciate a good dance-tune once in a while.  Well, at least I do, I don't really know about the rest of our crew.  I'm not an expert in these genres, since I usually encounter techno on festivals where it constists of anonymous beats, spinned by overpayed dj's.  Anyway, we recently received this release by Array Access and I decided to give it a shot.

Array Access is a German producer who has been making beats since 2010.  His latest output, Variations, is released on a new label, Ressort Imprint.  This label claims to specialize in quality dancefloor music, and with this release they seem to fulfill that promise.  Variations is loaded with rough techno beats, some very minimal melodic aspects and a lot of energy.

There's two tracks, two remixes and a hard hitting bonus track (digital only) on this 12".  While 'Variation 1' and its remix by Evigt Mörker reminded me of Xingu Hill (back in the days), the other tracks incorporate some ambient synths to enhance a trancy atmosphere.  'Variation 2' is my favourite track, mainly because of that dreamy feel. Eomac remixed this track into a gloomy nineties dance song.

So you see, I can appreaciate some decent EDM sometimes and I can definitely appreciate this e.p.  This is stuff for the dancefloor. Who knows, when I encounter Variations in a dancehall on a festival, I might be able to put a name on it and start shaking my butt off.



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