Forum Member Album Reviews

[Plainview]

Originally Posted by Mondo Bungle

https://thecartridgefamily1.bandcamp.com/

I dunno where this cover is from or how it came to be but it's stunning.

Off the bat it sounds like it's gonna be a nice atmospheric/chill album. There's a lot twinkling going on, and subtle sound experimentation that is very dynamic and interesting, but not overpowering enough to take away from its accessibility. There's some ethereal voice tracks too drenched in reverberations. I thought the ending of the track was cool. It seemed a tad basic in terms of the main beat/melody that drives the track, but otherwise is a good intro with a lot of great sound coming from beneath that. The next track gets more thoughtful with the beat action, which is also notably heavier here. More downtempo stuff carried by light and constantly changing undercurrents of sound. I'm already really impressed with that factor. It's totally experimental and floating all over indeterminate drones and other such noises but overall has a sound that anyone could enjoy.

Third track has some great things going on from the start with these wonky bleeps and cozy drones. Occasional breaks in the beat to let some positively magical textures shine through. Kinda samey with the drums in this one but it's not offensive or anything. The next track has a sorta different vibe, and I also would call it one if the highlights thus far. There's an easy going melody and beat that starts to pick up as it goes, over which is a glitchy romp of a modulated sample. The beat drops for a second while we're treated to more glitches in a nice little interlude to the second half of the track which gets back into the feel of the album from before. The flow was seamless and the horn that comes in is a real quality touch. I'd probably call track 5 one of the lower points but it's definitely not bad at all. There's some drums that sound fairly similar to others we've heard, and all in all just feels like an "in between" kind of song. It still sounds nice but that just serves as another compliment for the rest of it, there's been some amazing material so far.

Track 6 is another little one, and kinda sounds more industrial if not only in the drums which take on just a little bit more of an abrasive feel then before.

Track 7 is the longest one on the album so I'm interested in this excursion. Starts out with multiple vocal samples and liquidy atmospherics before the drums come in. Halfway through there's a really pleasant ambient break, then the main phrase comes back with some more variation in the beat.

Cracking has another new vibe, somewhat darker and more mechanical. I wanna praise the album's variety, it goes to a lot if cool places and always sounds like they're right next door even if its a fusion of stylistically differing stuff. It's eclectic and fluid. Next track actually carries on the vibe if the last. Still on the darker side (at least compared to the blinding effervescence of the rest if the album), and pretty heavy drum beat.

Tekamine brings some beats but I'd call it more largely an ambient fare. Those beats are interesting though in a weird way, but take a back seat to let the atmospherics drive this one. The last track is a jazzy number to take it all home.

This album really excels in the nuanced and shifting seas of sounds and drones and noises that travel beneath the main beats and melodies. I could've said something like that for every track but I feel like I'd be repeating a lot, but yeah, the music throughout the entire album is sprinkled with constant coolness that's stream-like nature keeps it from ever getting stale. Up front we have completely pleasant and accessible melodic, lush and varied electronica, and it's all mixed into a soup of psychedelic and experimental soundscapes and odd/quirky noises. It's a really cool work even if it's nit necessarily the kind of music I rep all day. Highly enjoyable, and a good display of electronic virtuosity and musical ambition.

Makes me think there's at least some qualities in my album you'd dig.

Lovely review, appreciate it muchly. Glad you enjoyed it - I guess this album was a chance to have a break from my usually heavily conceptual and unified stuff and play with electronic ambient sounds, something I have neglected before. I think you're right about the drum work, a lot of the beats are a little too similar and uninspired perhaps. It's definitely gotta a lot of droney textural elements, something I'm exploring more on stuff I'm working on at the minute, but in a more expansive progressive manner. Gonna go to bed now but I'll have a review of yours up tomorrow, definitely excited for it. Cheers dude!

The cover is a painting by a one of my fave artists - Paul Laffoley

Full credit to him on that one! Saw the art and just had to use it.

[Plainview]

https://ququmatz.bandcamp.com/album/...tering-days-ep

I Called Upon the Hillside gets off to a blistering start - definitely a sinister shoegaze vibe to this, and suddenly the sound shifts like the clouds parting to make way for the drum pattern and some more soothing warm guitar parts beneath, a kind of noisey drone thing. Is that a growly vocal part in the mix? Definitely unsettling. Like the switch to uptempo and the sort of jumpy glitch sound with all those cascading guitars that bounce around. Enjoying this more than I thought I would - not easy listening by any means but the textured nature of it gives it great atmospherics, something I'm always striving for myself. It isn't too dissimilar to the music I'm making at the moment if you discount the metal element. I like that warped choir sound and the little percussion hits - great contrasting sounds in the mix. The drumming is really interesting here too, sort of turns into a slow jazz shuffle. And then get another driving uptempo part. Could almost be a Can song if the textures were less abrasive, which is a big compliment. I'm enjoying the production all around... definitely something Krautrock about it the more it continues - and a welcome feedback conclusion.

Aj Q'uq'umatz has a slightly more discernible sound, each element more focused; I like the descending guitar/bass line, quite hypnotic and psychedelic. You're good at evolving the soundscape in a nice and natural way; there's a Psych blues feel to certain sections when everything kicks in, which I can dig. Not massive on the growly vocals, think that's the main turn of for me, but as a non-metal listener that's to be expected. Musicianship is on point though and the aesthetics are definitely not far removed from my kind of stuff. Is it a whole band playing or just you? Either way it's impressive stuff, would love to hear you play a non-metal jam.

My Soul to Exbalamquen starts in the most nonabrasive way thus far, can't get over the Krautrock comparisons, dunno if you like Tago Mago but I get those vibes from this, a lot of the atmospherics and drum parts give off a similar vibe. I like the 6/4 repeating section with that great guitar tone a lot, and the descent into chaos as it continues, really enjoyable section, this might be my favourite track so far. The distorted noise section is an interesting development, you consistently manage to shake things up enough to keep it interesting and moving forward.

The Madrid Codex has a real interesting thing going on; slightly jazz fusion in the dynamics and interplay. More psychedelic stuff with those repeating parts, I like the way things switch up but seem connected at the same time. Love that wah guitar tone it's really sweet. Lots of play and experimental tendency with your textures, time signatures etc. without being unenjoyable or overwrought. In a lot of ways this track so far is quite lightweight in its dynamics compared to the other stuff, quite airy and floaty, lots of space between the few parts. Drumming is on point. Then some hyper-accelerated section like a rocket thruster firing. Definitely impressed with the level of musicianship and the cohesiveness of ideas here, uncompromising and strong ideas; it's nice to hear. Lot's of swirly sonic space to get lost in, like the bit past the 7 minute mark, which is brilliantly tingly with a hint of something darker lingering. That light guitar part with that jangly tone is a nice palette-cleanse. This whole ending here is a great slice of shoegaze; the synth section that comes in is maybe a little too strong, slightly incongruous in what is either wise a tight sonic identity. Then comes a funeral-march of an ending with that fog-horn guitar and those trippy reverse parts.

Overall I really enjoyed this, certainly new territory for me. The only thing that I could do without is those growly vocal parts, as I said, but I understand that they are part of the metal aesthetic and they certainly weren't too distracting. Lots of great musicianship and interesting ideas - a great atmosphere throughout which you promoted through the use of texture, both things that resonate strongly with my own music. The psych and shoegaze elements were very welcome and added a lot of depth. I'd love to hear a straight up shoegaze track from you for sure. Good stuff.

[Mondo Bungle]

I loved this review. It is just me too.

I'm not gonna request a full review since you just did a cool one, but if you ever want to you could check out the first album which is somehow a modern classic according to many. It's much more prog than the other albums, not as shoegazey but still textural, and the vocals are sparse and very low in the mix https://ququmatz.bandcamp.com/album/tepeu

Other than that, I almost wanted to change my request for this album after listening to yours https://troublesalad.bandcamp.com/album/clear-society if you're about the krautrock that's the main focal point of this one with some jazz fusion and downtempo lounge/drone elements

[Mondo Bungle]

although I'd gladly do another of yours since I think I was actually going to a long time ago but didn't post it

[Mondo Bungle]

you just don't even know what you're missing https://troublesalad.bandcamp.com/al...g-the-abstract

[Mondo Bungle]

Originally Posted by MicShazam

**** it, I was trying to make an album, but I can't come up with more in the same style, so I wrapped it up as a 3 track EP.

Persona





Trying to come up with more in the same style was unbelievably frustrating. After weeks and weeks of failing, all I have to show for it is this short, not quite good enough track that I do like somewhat. So let's call it a bonus track or whatever



Don't know what to do next when it comes to making music, but I know that it needs to be something completely different, that's for sure.

these tracks at least have the possibility to be better than just good. Production takes away from it and makes it somewhat light and stale, and the tracks seem kinda underdeveloped but it's going for a cool thing musically. Alsmost sounds gothy but more twinkly like Siouxsie and the Banshees in the 90s. More laid back synthpop. It'd be hella choice with more impactful sound

[MicShazam]

Originally Posted by Mondo Bungle

these tracks at least have the possibility to be better than just good. Production takes away from it and makes it somewhat light and stale, and the tracks seem kinda underdeveloped but it's going for a cool thing musically. Alsmost sounds gothy but more twinkly like Siouxsie and the Banshees in the 90s. More laid back synthpop. It'd be hella choice with more impactful sound

Yeah I think that the sound of my stuff is the weakest link. If I could get someone to play it on instruments, that would really be what I would want. I sort of write everything I do, imagining it being played by a band. It's not really written to be electronic music, even though it's 100% tracked and not played on an actual instrument.

Sioxie... interesting comparison, although I haven't been listening to that band, but another 80's artist that did possibly influence this, is Judie Tzuke. I imagine some of her style bled into this.

[Mondo Bungle]

someone should review this in commemoration of the tapes https://noosefiller.bandcamp.com/album/noosefiller-2

[OccultHawk]

Yeah maybe someone should

[Trollheart]