For the old days... with Nick ;)
Friday, 13 February 2015
Sunday, 1 February 2015
Changes...
Busy busy busy... and suddenly 8 months have passed. Lot's of obligations, lots of music, LOTS of music, but no time to write...
So...from now on the blog will become more free and will not include album reports unless decided! For everything I find interesting, I will post album name and a clip to get a rough idea.
In the end, it's a shame not to share such amazing music because of no time to write articles!
Happy 2015 to everyone, and I start this new era with a song dedicated to all Greeks, with lots of love, from Berlin. Enjoy!
So...from now on the blog will become more free and will not include album reports unless decided! For everything I find interesting, I will post album name and a clip to get a rough idea.
In the end, it's a shame not to share such amazing music because of no time to write articles!
Happy 2015 to everyone, and I start this new era with a song dedicated to all Greeks, with lots of love, from Berlin. Enjoy!
Sunday, 4 May 2014
:Wumpscut: - Bulwark Bazooka, BKM ETAH 130
A quick post...
Rudy Ratzinger, aka :Wumpscut: was one of the most prominent acts in early 90's electro-industrial/E.B.M.
Although having a great fanbase devoted to him, I can separate his fans in two categories: those who like almost anything he releases, and those who believe that after "Wreath of Barbs" has not exhibited any significant work. I belong somewhere in between (closer to the second category), where I believe that the only bright moment since that era was "Schrekk & Grauss".
If you bear the same opinion have also a listen to its latest one, "Bulwark Bazooka". In general I consider it a good album (not anything special though), standing above his previous work the last decade.
So, why posting it? Because there is simply a track, that will remind you of the good old sexual sickness and darkness of :W:, a track that I can consider as the follow-up to "She's Dead"
Rudy, after all these years, Darkness at last!!!
Rudy Ratzinger, aka :Wumpscut: was one of the most prominent acts in early 90's electro-industrial/E.B.M.
Although having a great fanbase devoted to him, I can separate his fans in two categories: those who like almost anything he releases, and those who believe that after "Wreath of Barbs" has not exhibited any significant work. I belong somewhere in between (closer to the second category), where I believe that the only bright moment since that era was "Schrekk & Grauss".
If you bear the same opinion have also a listen to its latest one, "Bulwark Bazooka". In general I consider it a good album (not anything special though), standing above his previous work the last decade.
So, why posting it? Because there is simply a track, that will remind you of the good old sexual sickness and darkness of :W:, a track that I can consider as the follow-up to "She's Dead"
Rudy, after all these years, Darkness at last!!!
Friday, 28 February 2014
Voices From The Lake - Voices From The Lake, Prologue PRGLP003,PRGCD001
After a long time without posts, I am really happy to present the most surprising, and personally the BEST album of 2012 in electronic music in general. The first, self titled album of the Italian DJ duo, Voices From The Lake.
VFTL is a masterpiece of minimal electronic music, a complete musical work that continuously changes and evolves fluently throughout its duration. Creating a rather calm but dark atmosphere, I would describe it as a ritual minimal ambient work. Really difficult to describe fully however, and I don't like that much placing labels on such amazing pieces of work. I will gladly give you however a brief description of what you are going to hear. Be aware, that the vinyl and the cd versions are slightly different, with both of them creating the same atmosphere, however since first I listened to the cd before ordering the vinyl, I will give a description of the digital work. Also, don;t try to listen just a few tracks. You HAVE to listen the whole work from start to end to really realise what I'm talking about. Ready to travel then!
Iyo and Vega set up the playground, a repetitive carpet with very small and delicate changes. When Maneuvex starts, you realise that things are going to get interesting, setting the seeds of the complete change of rhythm which will be based on a characteristic, more tribal one which totally manifests in Circle. The rhythm blooms in ST, remaining the same in essence but with continuous minor changes and additions until it gets overwhelmed and transformed to an amazing beat, which although rather slow, makes you to get to the dance floor.
Then the battle begins. In Meikyu the rhythm of Circle returns in an uplifted version, setting up a faster and even more tribal background. However, towards its end more and more ambient and drone-ish parts start to appear. The tribal beat is left completely dryin the following "In Giova" and you already sense another great change in the rhythm which occurs in the middle of the track with a more minimal, I.D.M.-like synthesis with lots of ambient elements. This accommodates the more "ritualistic" Twins in Virgo followed by its more downtempo version (Twins in Virgo reprise).
The beginning of the end is signified by the rather minimal minimal Mika which serves as an introduction to the absolutely magnificent minimal/ambient/downtempo HGS...
Words, as always in the end, are trivial. Let yourselves sink deep into the soundscape of this piece of art, and do it many times so to pick up even its slightest details. By far on of the most interesting creations I've ever heard.
And just a snippet...as I told you, you must treat all the tracks as a complete continuous work
VFTL is a masterpiece of minimal electronic music, a complete musical work that continuously changes and evolves fluently throughout its duration. Creating a rather calm but dark atmosphere, I would describe it as a ritual minimal ambient work. Really difficult to describe fully however, and I don't like that much placing labels on such amazing pieces of work. I will gladly give you however a brief description of what you are going to hear. Be aware, that the vinyl and the cd versions are slightly different, with both of them creating the same atmosphere, however since first I listened to the cd before ordering the vinyl, I will give a description of the digital work. Also, don;t try to listen just a few tracks. You HAVE to listen the whole work from start to end to really realise what I'm talking about. Ready to travel then!
Iyo and Vega set up the playground, a repetitive carpet with very small and delicate changes. When Maneuvex starts, you realise that things are going to get interesting, setting the seeds of the complete change of rhythm which will be based on a characteristic, more tribal one which totally manifests in Circle. The rhythm blooms in ST, remaining the same in essence but with continuous minor changes and additions until it gets overwhelmed and transformed to an amazing beat, which although rather slow, makes you to get to the dance floor.
Then the battle begins. In Meikyu the rhythm of Circle returns in an uplifted version, setting up a faster and even more tribal background. However, towards its end more and more ambient and drone-ish parts start to appear. The tribal beat is left completely dryin the following "In Giova" and you already sense another great change in the rhythm which occurs in the middle of the track with a more minimal, I.D.M.-like synthesis with lots of ambient elements. This accommodates the more "ritualistic" Twins in Virgo followed by its more downtempo version (Twins in Virgo reprise).
The beginning of the end is signified by the rather minimal minimal Mika which serves as an introduction to the absolutely magnificent minimal/ambient/downtempo HGS...
Words, as always in the end, are trivial. Let yourselves sink deep into the soundscape of this piece of art, and do it many times so to pick up even its slightest details. By far on of the most interesting creations I've ever heard.
And just a snippet...as I told you, you must treat all the tracks as a complete continuous work
Friday, 16 August 2013
Larvae - Exit Strategy, Ad Noiseam ADN160
I really wonder why I have missed presenting this album so far... Especially, when it was almost certainly No.1 album of 2012 (it missed this title by another late entry, to which I will dedicate the next post).
"Exit Strategy" is the latest album of I.D.M./experimental duo Larvae. And is completely different from their previous work, since it is actually a downtempo album with lots of pure/ambient, I.D.M. and trip hop elements, with an old-school ethereal feeling. I guess you got the point about what you're going to listen... The album is rather melancholic and sweet, with a very clever blending of all the previously mentioned musical influences without getting boring and never repeating.
Another thing that impresses in this work is how all these elements are mixed in the same track, shifting seamlessly from low to high tempo parts, or creating a dynamic change in the feeling of the song without changing the tempo but only the samples used. Characteristic example is the following track
If you ever listened to their previous works and liked them
1) This is MUCH better and mature than anything before
2) You will be happily surprised that such clever musicians exist nowadays
3) You will listen to this album for months/years
The only bad thing with such releases, especially when they occur at the first years of a band's existence, is that they create high expectations for the following ones; expectations which most of the time are very difficult to fulfill. We'll have to wait and see...
For the time being, enjoy one of the best albums of 2012, surpassed only by...
"Exit Strategy" is the latest album of I.D.M./experimental duo Larvae. And is completely different from their previous work, since it is actually a downtempo album with lots of pure/ambient, I.D.M. and trip hop elements, with an old-school ethereal feeling. I guess you got the point about what you're going to listen... The album is rather melancholic and sweet, with a very clever blending of all the previously mentioned musical influences without getting boring and never repeating.
Another thing that impresses in this work is how all these elements are mixed in the same track, shifting seamlessly from low to high tempo parts, or creating a dynamic change in the feeling of the song without changing the tempo but only the samples used. Characteristic example is the following track
If you ever listened to their previous works and liked them
1) This is MUCH better and mature than anything before
2) You will be happily surprised that such clever musicians exist nowadays
3) You will listen to this album for months/years
The only bad thing with such releases, especially when they occur at the first years of a band's existence, is that they create high expectations for the following ones; expectations which most of the time are very difficult to fulfill. We'll have to wait and see...
For the time being, enjoy one of the best albums of 2012, surpassed only by...
Sunday, 28 July 2013
Front Line Assembly - Echogenetic, Dependent Records, mind 209
The latest album of Front Line Assembly, Echogenetic, signifies another twist in their musical experimentation. The dubstep elements in their music were obvious in their previous soundtrack, "AirMech", and now the whole project finally took its shape.
I will not judge such a genre mixing, this is up to personal preference, but the outcome. I wouldn't expect anything less than a perfect blending of electro-industrial samples and dubstep flows from a band that is so many years around. Echogenetic will appear strange to FLA fans, especially after the more "hadcore" Improvised Electronic Device, but indeed, spend some time on it; you will not regret it
There are no tracks which really stand out in the first listening, except the 3rd track, "Blood", which is jaw dropping from its first few seconds. Listening better the album is were all its beauty start to appear, especially if you like good dubstep (aka, Burial). The blending of the two genres is immaculate, maintaining a perfect imbalance, in favour of course of the industrial character. Tracks like Exhale, Leveled, Exo and Heartquake are destined to be admired by both electro-industrial and dubstep listeners. Lyrics? Well it's FLA, what do you expect?10/10. This absence of lyrics in AirMech, due to its purpose of its release, was the main factor that the album was not that successful.
Nevertheless, the album is not perfect. It is obvious that FLA are still experimenting. Otherwise you would be able to feel that they have settled in a characteristic industrial/dubstep mix style throughout the whole album. Here the songs are rather different from each other in the atmosphere that they create. If Leeb and his friends decide the dubstep is worth working on it, I would bet that the next album will define the FLA sound in this category as well.
We'll have to see. For the time being, open your ears and your minds and listen to Echogenetic. Previous experience in dubstep will help you appreciate this album, to which I give 9/10, since I reserve the 10/10 for their next one.
We walk in silnce, we fade away
We're holding hands, we slip away
I will not judge such a genre mixing, this is up to personal preference, but the outcome. I wouldn't expect anything less than a perfect blending of electro-industrial samples and dubstep flows from a band that is so many years around. Echogenetic will appear strange to FLA fans, especially after the more "hadcore" Improvised Electronic Device, but indeed, spend some time on it; you will not regret it
There are no tracks which really stand out in the first listening, except the 3rd track, "Blood", which is jaw dropping from its first few seconds. Listening better the album is were all its beauty start to appear, especially if you like good dubstep (aka, Burial). The blending of the two genres is immaculate, maintaining a perfect imbalance, in favour of course of the industrial character. Tracks like Exhale, Leveled, Exo and Heartquake are destined to be admired by both electro-industrial and dubstep listeners. Lyrics? Well it's FLA, what do you expect?10/10. This absence of lyrics in AirMech, due to its purpose of its release, was the main factor that the album was not that successful.
Nevertheless, the album is not perfect. It is obvious that FLA are still experimenting. Otherwise you would be able to feel that they have settled in a characteristic industrial/dubstep mix style throughout the whole album. Here the songs are rather different from each other in the atmosphere that they create. If Leeb and his friends decide the dubstep is worth working on it, I would bet that the next album will define the FLA sound in this category as well.
We'll have to see. For the time being, open your ears and your minds and listen to Echogenetic. Previous experience in dubstep will help you appreciate this album, to which I give 9/10, since I reserve the 10/10 for their next one.
We walk in silnce, we fade away
We're holding hands, we slip away
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