Music Reviews of Techno, Trance, Industrial, Electronica
Band Spotlight
Chiodos
Perhaps no one can explain the sheer ferocity and timid quietness it is better than when vocalist Craig Owens says “we don’t want to let the kids down” when discussing the group’s intense vocals live at shows. Well they never let a single kid down with their vicious assault on the ears and grip on the jugular...
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Current Top Ten Chart
Skinny Puppy - Mythmaker
Converge - No Heroes
The Graduate - Anhedonia
Death By Stereo - Death Alive
Comeback Kid - Broadcasting
The Snake The Cross The Crown - Cotton Teeth
Dear and the Headlights - Small Steps, Heavy Hooves
The Geeks - Every Time We Fall
Limbeck - Limbeck
WinterKids - Memoirs
03.09.2007 by J-Sin
Music Reviews of Techno, Trance, Jungle, Trip-Hop, Industrial, Electronica, IDM, House, Drum&Bass
Natalia — Electrosoul Buy it at Amazon
Russian music sensation Natalia fuses electronica and pop with a touch of the ‘80s for good measure. “Electrosoul” lives up to its name with soul-wrenching vocal melodies and electro’s sensual dance moves. Not that bad of a little album for this up-and-coming electronica singer/songwriter.
- J-Sin
Brian English — Beyond Words Buy it at Amazon
“Beyond Words” lives up to its title marrying Eno-esque ambient and Orb-like rhythms with nary a “true” vocal to be heard. Fluorescent Grey was helped out by Brian English on their debut “Lying On the Floor” on Isolate/Record Label Records. That experience led to this majestic electronic masterpiece “Beyond Words”. Split with terrific breakbeats from found sound percussion and blended audio textures of synthesizer and spliced samples, “Beyond Words” is simply beyond words, description, and peers. Beat-wise it’s danceable and embodies what true IDM and hip lounge kids are craving these days. Laptop electronica folks will also find this album compelling as the production is just completely off the hook. And that should be well noted considering much of this album is the result of field recordings—samples of washing machines and sounds captured from his various travels around the globe are speckled throughout this dynamic and crafty ambient IDM soundscape work of art. Truly an album I want to share with the world (but I pinky promise not to do anything illegal like rip it or copy it!). If you’re an IDM fan, please buy this album now, I know it sounds ridiculous for me to plead, but the world needs to encourage artists this unbelievably talented to keep making records.
- J-Sin
Paul & Price — Sounds Like Sex 2 Buy it at Amazon
Luxurious and provocative with sleazy ‘70’s funk ‘n’ roll blended with tasteful elements of Prince and Jamiroquai. Sexy vocals by Angela McCluskey make this a cocktail worthy of the hippest club or lounge. Downtempo lounge with laptop electronica, sexy neo-jazz, and dubby bass make this one of the better surprises of the year. Check it out—I guarantee it will help you get laid.
- J-Sin
Radioactive Sandwich — The Earls of Sandwich Buy it at Amazon
Electronica vibes with driving rhythms and groovy bass comprise “The Earls of Sandwich”. Thrilling breaks that build to a big crescendo while the atmospheric synths take care of the moods. It’s got elements of Detroit techno with slivers and cuts of breakbeat loops to pull it in a different direction. The production is wild and showcases their talented ability to carve a song into something much more warm and organic than the traditional cold technology of techno and electronic music usually affords.
- J-Sin
Bebek — Open Eyes Buy it at Amazon
Their self-titled album brought my focus squarely on this Philadelphia-based group. Their brand of trip-hop unleashes a sea of undercutting melody and sultry vocals. Laid back grooves force the hand into downtempo territory with electronic bleeps driving the rhythms. Lush harmonies are layered neatly on top of stellar breaks and thick bass lines. Gothic fused atmospheres give “Open Eyes” a unique texture that continues to keep Bebek several arm length’s away from trip-hop’s least kept secrets like Portishead and Tricky. This soulful groovy trip-hop meets pop EP is one that you simply must seek out and purchase.
- J-Sin
Analog Pussy — Trance N Roll Buy it at Amazon
Psychedelic trance is something that has conquered Israel and the Middle East as well as the goa-infused regions of India. Analog Pussy takes their psy-trance sound and then adds classic rock sounds from the likes of Bob Marley, Ozzy Osbourne, and of course Deep Purple’s rocker “Smoke On the Water”. All of this is amid huge synths and banging trance rhythms looped together with magical awareness of keeping things uptempo and driving. Nu-NRG fanatics will probably like this as the beats are quick and fast.
- J-Sin
Andrew Emil — Four Play Music Buy it at Amazon
Four Play Music is Andrew Emil’s label and is based in Chicago. He joins forces with several of the Windy City’s top house artists to produce a soulful and groovy compilation. Several of the tracks give off this neo-jazz feel with some soul mixed in. But it’s all sexy and sultry house music with steamy percussion and nifty groove. Good stuff and more reason why Chicago is one of the first places folks look for great house music.
- J-Sin
MothSpyEros — Sueno Rojo Buy it at Amazon
Dreamy soundscapes with odd melodies and thick textures comprise this release by this duo. The duo is comprised of Ruben Reveles who recruited guitar player and singer Kevin Dockter. They utilize laptop electronica with live instrumentals to mask melodies in fuzzy and sometimes hazy atmospherics. Dreamscapes are perhaps the perfect definition to pinpoint this incredible sound.
- J-Sin
KiloWatts — Routes Buy it at Amazon
I reviewed their “Problem/Solving” album a while back here on Smother Magazine and thoroughly enjoyed it. They continue in the ambient vein with some dark and dank tunes that sound like processed field recordings with distorted psychedelic sonic etchings drawn through them. There’s plenty of melody and catchiness though, just check out “Learn to Love Loneliness” which despite it despondent and melancholy moniker is a richly texture bleep riddled glitchy IDM beat-oriented groovy anthem. Think Aphex Twin with a little dash of Autechre and plenty of hypnotic groove and downtempo breaks. I’m thinking about how redefining this album is for the whole IDM and ambient genre in of itself. If you don’t pick up this album, you’re missing out on a genre-definer for sure.
- J-Sin
Armin van Buuren — A State of Trance 2006 Buy it at Amazon
Armin Van Buuren has been on the top of the publicly voted DJ Top 100 for some time now. Why? Because he’s one of trance’s elite DJs. Minting us with a double disc of fun-filled high energy melodic trance bangers, Armin has made a mark as a DJ, producer, and renowned remixer. He canvasses all of trance to find some of the true gems and have combined them here for a mix album that blends house influences with some breaks and a lot of progressive melodic trance. Floor fillers for sure will be found around each corner. I’ve always been a big fan of Armin, whether it’s his own signature trademark cuts, his fantastically blended DJ mix albums or even his incredible live sets. Perfect follow-up to his fantastic “A State of Trance 2005”.
- J-Sin
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