Album Reviews
Album Review: Yann Gourdon’s self-titled LP hypnotizes the listener with swirling, baroque instrumentation
The new offerings from French artist Yann Gourdon create a hypnotizing atmosphere that pushes and pulls the listener from its fabric. It can be argued that ambient music is defined by intention and spatial interaction: a work must intend to not demand the attention of the listener, and it interacts with auditory space in a …
EP Review: RedHook release the explosive and very therapeutic EP ‘Bad Decisions’ and announce tour
It is hard to classify Sydney band RedHook – there is an electronic buzzsaw blitz with thundering percussion and at times a blistering wall of noise, all wrapped up in a sparkling pop mantle, with hip hop shades and choruses. It’s heavy metal psycho pop. But, throughout their new EP ‘Bad Decisions’, there is a …
Droppin’ Knowledge: On His LP Border Patrol, Singer-Songwriter Farees Turns Trauma Into Art, With Humor, Grace and Righteous Anger
When Farees, the singer-song writer, released his stirring debut solo album in 2015, Mississippi to Sahara, (under the name Faris), he did what many artists do; he planned a tour to support the album. The tour would traverse the United States, with stops at summer festivals and storied music venues, including the Public Theater in …
Album review: Alaskan Tapes – ‘For Us Alone’: 39 minutes of tranquil serenity
ALASKAN TAPES has created a short but blissful sequel to his previously album Views From 16 Stories. It’s Alaskan Tapes, also known as Brady Kendall, second album of 2021: For Us Alone. The nine tracks are a tranquil journey through an array of peaceful melodies that will leave you feeling enchanted by the beauty of …
Album Review: Mente Organica – ‘El Espacio’
Earthly Measures, the London based DJ and event creating duo, have been carefully and lovingly nurturing their record label through these turbulent times . They’ve put out a couple of compilations, digi-releases and EPs that deliver exquisitely curated global beat music with a leaning towards feet warming new electronica from South America. Now comes news …
EP Review: The Nagging Doubts spread some icy post-punk joy in their shimmering EP ‘Autocalm’
Last year’s glorious double single release – ‘Berlin’ and ‘Marine’ – from The Nagging Doubts served notice of something very special. The Nagging Doubts have now delivered on this with their new EP – ‘Autocalm’ – a collection of brittle, beautiful tracks that evoke an eighties glimmer and an Australian indie tradition of intelligently crafted, …
Album: Unflesh – Inhumation
Blackened melodic death metallers Unflesh have released their second full-length, ‘Inhumation’. The band partnered with artist Junki Sakuraba (Seven Spires) once again to create the killer album art for Inhumation. The album was mixed and mastered by renowned musician and engineer V. Santura (Triptykon, Dark Fortress, etc.) at Woodshed Studios in Landshut, Germany. Unflesh vocalist/guitarist Ryan Beevers comments: “Inhumation delves …
Album Review: Sleeps Society- While She Sleeps
Sheffield metalcore mob While She Sleeps take on the music industry on their fifth record, entitled Sleeps Society. The group tackle societal issues and mental health battles as well as providing empowering messages of self-motivation backed by heaving slabs of metallic riffing. WSS have always felt like a rougher, harsher, more punk alternative to the …
Album review: E.R. Jurken – ‘I Stand Corrected’: a psych-folk debut full of catharsis and melody
E.R. Jurken’s first full missive into the world reveals quite the saddest tale at an angle, never telling, always hinting. It also shows an absolute grasp of songcraft, of melody, and an abiding love of British psych-pop and later American geniuses such as Neutral Milk Hotel and Elliott Smith
EP Review: WA’s Pretty Uglys unleash ‘Party Friends’ – a blistering set of very attractive post punk anthems, executed with sneers, attitude and indelible pose.
Blasting off with ‘Emergency Room’, Western Australian band Pretty Uglys‘ new EP ‘Party Friends’ is a pulsating and vibrant set of magnificent, sneering and imposing tracks. Pure guitar-driven riffs over a thundering rhythm section and with vocals so loaded with attitude you can almost see the arched eyebrows and sneer. It is gratifyingly cathartic and …