The Identity Matrix

So I am actually not very informed on the nuances of electronic music. I could tell you the differences in rock music or a little bit of metal, but I got nothing on electronic styles. So with the push of some members here on this site, I have decided to dive into synthwave. Quite the interesting genre as it represents two major movements. One in the early to late 80s, the other from the later 2000s into the 2010s.

To start off, the early 80s movement actually represents a much more minimalist synthesizer based sound. The origins of the 80s movement can be found in the popular new wave and dark wave movements of the latter part of the 1970s. Overall the sound represents some of the earliest forms of techno music. Bands such as Depeche Mode and Psyche were adopters of this sound in their music.

The 2000s movement is quit a bit different. Synthwave nowadays means to embody the 80s futuristic vibe in all of its neon glory. Taking 80s science fiction and video game aesthetics to create quite a bombastic and epic sound. Quite intriguing is the liberal use of 80s references and styles especially when the original movement started in that time frame. Games such as Hotline Miami and Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon embrace the style and sound of modern synthwave. Current stars of the genre include Perturbator, Mitch Murder and Carpenter Brut. This is the style I will be primarily focusing on but I will still touch on the 80s style.

Artists I plan to explore (Note: these do not include those in the suggestion box, I am not obligated to review or listen to anything in the suggestion box.)

Perturbator
Mitch Murder
Carpenter Brut
Wasted Doom
Fortification 55
Drown for Ressurection
Electric Youth

I will be posting album impressions (not full blown reviews, otherwise this would take forever) for everything I listen to. I won't be going in chronological order. However, I will mark which era they are from as well as any extra genres they fall under when providing impressions. This genre dive will be pretty organic in the same way one would explore any genre they are getting into. So I shall begin my journey. I hope to see you on the other side of cyberspace with neon lights flashing behind me.


I just want to say that the style and aesthetics of this genre really catch my eye. Hopefully the book matches the cover.

__________________
What is infinite yet always equal to one?

Enter the Domain - The Identity Matrix Domain

"I'm not a prophet or a stone aged man, just a mortal with potential of a superman. I'm living on." - David Bowie

Chula Vista

__________________

“The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well,
on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away
and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”

The Identity Matrix

Entry #: 0001




Genre: Electronic

Style: Synthwave/Dark Synth

Artist: Perturbator

Country of Origin: France

Album: The Uncanny Valley

Year of Release: 2016

Notes: Yeah I realize Kiiii (briefly) looked at this record. But between Kiiii and Chiomara I have to start somewhere with all of this synthwave!

Impressions:

You can’t spell impressions without impress. This album did just that. This record embodies the style and sound of what the future would sound like to the people living in 1982. Neon lights, fast hover cars, cyberspace leaking out into the real world. The atmosphere and the world building this record accomplishes is mind boggling. The very first track, Neo Tokyo, takes you through a fantastic speedy voyage through what would be looked as a Ghost in the Shell ripoff. I tell you what, I love heavy beats, and speedy synths and Neo Tokyo is not one to disappoint in those regards. The next track, Weapons for Children, sets up a brooding heavy atmosphere. A little claustrophobia never hurt anyone and you can feel it on this track at times. I feel like I’m wandering through the world of Blade Runner. I will be coming back to that idea of feeling throughout this whole album. Because, I will tell you what… This album makes me feel.


The next track I want to mention is the fabulous mood setter, Femme Fatale (feat. Highway Star) (Quick Note: I will plan on exploring Highway Star in the future.) Honestly, this track feels like the type of song I expect to hear in a club from the distant future. A space bar, or exotic dancing club. Its got the groove, the atmosphere, the pace changes. The scene gets set and plays out for my ears. I love this track. The different brass and drums create such an enticing world for the listener to really sink their teeth into.


Disco Inferno is the next one on the list of notable songs. This was my first experience from this record because it got played in plug. This one is very epic. I get the word could be seen as cliche but holy smokes is this track soaring. The wonderful thing about this whole album really, and it is exemplified on this track, would be Perturbator’s, James Kent, sense of timing. It can be easy to get lost in the many tools at one’s disposal when constructing electronic music, at least I would think so. Instead on this record there is a pace that is comfortable for the listener, it kept me engaged the whole way through. I felt excited, relaxed, paranoid, claustrophobic, and just plain happy throughout the record. The emotions I got to feel really blew me away.


Another track I want to talk about is Diabolus Ex Machina. This one is pretty similar to Disco Inferno with the exception that it felt a little redundant at times. No album in my mind is perfect and this one certainly has its issues. Diabolus Ex Machina brings in some guitar soloing that, while cool at times, can feel a little off putting in the mix of things. I can’t deny the track itself though is still solid and I still enjoy it, just not as much as other tracks in a similar style. Skipping ahead, I want to make a special mention of the track Souls at Zero (feat. Astronoid). Astronoid released a fantastic atmospheric post rock/metal record last year. So their inclusion on the record both surprised me and excited me. I was expecting a little more instrumentation on this track. But instead I was presented with a pretty atmospheric and dark track. Astronoid's singer Brett Boland provides vocals on the track. Nothing special but they certainly add to the mix. The song overall progressed through many stages. Dark and brooding, accepting and understanding, at one point I imagined the characters of this song, (Note: this is not a concept album. At least to my knowledge it is not.) that showed up in my head to be relinquishing themselves to some higher being. I don’t know. It just sounded cool in my head. The final track, the title track of the album, is march through the staple sounds of the genre. I felt it embodied exactly what this genre has to offer in a neat little package.


Overall, the record is big, dark, epic, and executed fantastically. Sometimes I feel the tracks can feel a little too big for their own good. They become closer to space age style rather than that futuristic synthwave style. Once again, I am not in the least bit knowledgeable on the intricacies of the genre. I am learning. So far I have learned that this style of music has a lot of potential. I think this album on the couple of listens I have had with it is a great gateway into the genre. It certainly pulled me, an outsider, in rather quickly. I’ll have to come back to this one, but I think it is a great record.

Initial Score: The Uncanny Valley receives an 8.5 out of 10

Standout Tracks: Neo Tokyo, Femme Fatale (feat. Highway Star), Disco Inferno, Assault, Souls at Zero, The Uncanny Valley

Weaker Tracks: Diabolus Ex Machina, The Cult of 2112 (Neither of these tracks are bad per se, they just are the biggest offenders of the problems I had with the record overall)

Alright, you got me hooked. Now what? Well I know what's next. But you will have to wait until entry 0002 to find out. I hope you enjoyed the first part of this genre dive. Feel free to continue suggesting albums and artists. Also let me know what you think of the format for this journal. As always thanks for reading!

__________________
What is infinite yet always equal to one?

Enter the Domain - The Identity Matrix Domain

"I'm not a prophet or a stone aged man, just a mortal with potential of a superman. I'm living on." - David Bowie

Trollheart

Great idea for a journal. Quite an undertaking. Talk to me when you get to prog rock (shocked gasp of surprise from everyone!) but if you're checking out JMJ at some point you need to include this all-time classic, one of the first ever fully synthesised albums, or something.


Good luck! I'll be watching with interest, like everyone.
This is kind of a much larger-scale "Love or Hate?" but without, um, me...
And good, too.

__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

Key

Perturbator is a master of his craft. You'll find something different to love from each of his albums. Good to hear you enjoyed one of his best

EPOCH6

Huh, somebody gave me a vinyl copy of this album some time ago when they moved out-of-country and had to pass on their collection, I haven't listened to it yet, maybe I'll dig it out tonight.

Looking forward to this journal, write-ups look thorough and thought out so far.

Batlord's sludge suggestions are great start.

Only album I'd add to that list, and not just because I'm a fanboy, is Conan's Blood Eagle, which I think is an unbeatable example of balancing production and style for maximum impact.

__________________

The Identity Matrix

Thanks for the suggestions Chula, and TH.

Looking at what i quickly heard from the two, it doesn't seem they would really fit in the synthwave section. I'll keep listening though just in case.


Thanks Kiiii for the kind words and the suggestion to dive into this genre.

__________________
What is infinite yet always equal to one?

Enter the Domain - The Identity Matrix Domain

"I'm not a prophet or a stone aged man, just a mortal with potential of a superman. I'm living on." - David Bowie

Frownland

Is minimal wave folded into synthwave? I can recommend a few of those.

__________________

Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.

Trollheart

Oh yeah, I did't necessarily mean for this one, but whenever you move on to electronic instrumental music or whatever. Just to keep it in mind.

__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

The Identity Matrix

Entry #: 0002




Genre: Electronic

Style: Early Synthwave/EBM (Electronic Body Music)

Artist: Wasted Doom

Country of Origin: Germany

Album: Anger Your Neighbours!!!

Year of Release: 1987

Notes: Electronic Body Music is the combination of punk music and early industrial to create a heavy synth sound. Very similar to the style of synthwave from Perurbator.

Impressions:

A lot less to talk about for this release. Just looking at the album cover you would think it was 1980s black metal or doom metal release, far from it however. The album is four tracks in length with the disc running about 20 minutes (19:58 to be exact). The first track that we get on this release is called Hot Rod. Quite a bit going on in this track. Industrial drums, low bass synths, more industrial samples, and vocals on top of that. Sort of sounds like a Nine Inch Nails demo if Trent Reznor was from Germany. Certainly an interesting piece, but nothing I have not heard before from bands that embrace the industrial sound fully. Very brooding overall but it feels like it is being pulled in two totally different directions, industrial and synthwave. The mix certainly can work as Perturbator illustrated in his music, but it leaves a little bit to be desired on this track.


The next track is a little different. Videogewalt is still embracing the industrial undertones but adding sampled conversation from some philosopher or something. I couldn't find where it is from, maybe you guys can. The vocals from the actual singer are almost post punk sounding to me. It is much more interesting in that regard. The randomness of the samples are keeping me on my toes though so that is cool. Overall, a better offering then Hot Rod.


I'll skip the third track, Hijacked Plane, and go straight to the final one, the third track is not that special. Found it boring to be honest. Prediction however, is where the record shines the most. The industrial undertones kind of feel a little more embraced in this track. I liked the bass line in this one compared to the others. It felt a little fresher to me I guess. I kind of wish the track was a little shorter though. It overstays its welcome at about the 4:30 mark. But other than that, solid track. Unfortunately I could not find a youtube video for this one, however the album is on Last.fm for those of you who still use the service.

So a bit of a step down in quality from yesterday but it still did enough to catch my attention for repeat listens. This early form of synthwave is like I said in my introduction to the genre, minimalist. Not nearly as big or bombastic as modern day synthwave. Those descriptors certainly don't mean anything to the quality of the music. As I am sure I will find great early synthwave, and bad modern synthwave. I just have to keep looking .

Initial Score: Anger Your Neighbors!!! receives a 5.8 out of 10

Standout Tracks: Prediction, Videogewalt

Weaker Tracks: Hijacked Plane

Thanks for reading. Hopefully we can get something a little better next time. Right now modern synthwave is edging out the 80s offering. But with only two albums looked at I'm sure we will find something in the near future.

__________________
What is infinite yet always equal to one?

Enter the Domain - The Identity Matrix Domain

"I'm not a prophet or a stone aged man, just a mortal with potential of a superman. I'm living on." - David Bowie