by on

Nikk Fail is an Italian retro synth project and his second EP, End Of The Line, was released in June. Consisting of six tracks, now Nikk Fail has brought some friends with him to play this time!!!

As soon as I heard the title “Bugstompers,” all I could think of was Starship Troopers, the rather questionable 90s movie about taking on alien bugs. The track itself has science fiction effects at play and seems to be promising slightly violent intent. First guest vocalist is Eleonora Ferrari on “End Of The Line,” an ominous portrayal that she is the end of everything, and will happily end everything. Ferrari goes from cooing into blood curdling gurgling squeals within a split second. The next instrumental is “Living Dead Lights,” and the music is both eerie and haunting, to the point that one could say, light as an apparition and cool as a tomb.

You cannot get many more light years away than Star Wars, so in a galaxy far, far away the synths pass and whirr as if they are lightsabers in a duel in “Anakin Rampage (The Ballad of Vader).” If you listen carefully, I am sure you can hear the Cantina band. Next guests are BelvaSXE and William Baxter featuring on the track “Troma Boy,” and here we hear a harsher side to Nikk Fail, between the growling guitar and the equally growling vocals, and all the while the electronics keep up to the wailing pace. Last track is the contemplative “Commuting Paradise,” though this song, in its own way, is sassy and has teeth, with vocals from Giulia Finazzi and guitar by Baxter again.

Already, you can see since the first EP, Nikk Fail is evolving and incorporating more into his sound. Collaborating with other musicians is a great way to extend yourself and push what you can do, and I think you can hear this on End Of The Line. Makes you wonder what is next for Fail and who he might tap into the helping him fly even higher.

End Of The Line | Nikk Fail (bandcamp.com)

Facebook

https://www.instagram.com/nikkfail/

by on

Out on the British label Utopian Mechanics, Stockport based Through The Gloom have just released the new ambient electronic EP, Dark Patterns.

Opening track “Perfect Dark” gives the atmosphere of an anti sunrise, as if the shadows are creeping forward, encroaching on all. Deep tonal aberrations escape from the virtual abyss, with a tribal electronic twist in “Hostile Architecture.” An ancient drone with a female vocalisation, almost Middle Eastern in sound, creating a mystical allure. There is a reverence in the beginning of “Whispers Within” and indeed there are the hushed voices within the mix. The piano wanders, as if a lost train of thought, trapped in a slowly decaying cycle.

“Llanto” is gently laid before you, analogue sounding keys greeting you intermittently, which is nothing like the track “Cut Their Tongues.” Finely abrasively with foreboding, building with divine and ancient righteous portent, setting your teeth on edge. The vocals are strained and full of warning as the background is filled with tribal rhythms. Final track, “Nostromos Reckoning” is like a breath of fresh air after being compressed by the last track. It soars on gossamer wings, expansive and billowing into an infinite horizon

For me, this style of experimental and soundscape electronic music should fuel the imagination, taking you away from the mundane, inspiring joy, wonder and even fear of each new world opened to us. Through The Gloom has this in spades on Dark Patterns.

Dark Patterns | Through The Gloom | Utopian Mechanics (bandcamp.com)

Facebook

https://www.instagram.com/utopianmechanics/

Stream Through the Gloom music | Listen to songs, albums, playlists for free on SoundCloud

by on

Dutch musician, Jelmer Luimstra, has released in June, the new EP, Words under his project name April Afternoon. The EP contains four tracks of diverse electronic goodness.

You have to wonder what someone is going back to when they say they are ‘going back to the bitter end.’ Yet here we are with “I’m Going Back,” a boppy poppy track, completely at odds with the lyrics. The delightful “Modern Lovers” was the recently released single, which kind of reminds me of a mix between Culture Club, Nik Kershaw and Ultravox… you know, that sprinkling of 80s magic.

Actually the beginning of “The Chorus” was giving me “Always the Sun,” (The Stranglers) vibes, however the lighter pop comes streaking through and you get a bit of a rap/spoken word into the mix from Luimstra. My favourite track off the EP has to be the shadowy and more thoughtful “Walking Through Your Day,” as it asks ‘if not now, when?‘ The track has this slick futuristic feel through the electronics and a war of light versus the dark fought via those synths.

Words is very much rooted in the 80s electronic sound that so many great bands used and inhabits many memorable tracks. As I have said, the gem is “Walking Through Your Day’ which I really love. It’s a track that makes you want to hear it again, plus the other three tracks are pretty great as well. From April Afternoon, it’s not just Words, as there is music as well!

Words | April Afternoon (bandcamp.com)

by on

We are going back to January of this year, and Dire Path are a Greek darkwave based band, who released their debut EP, Unloved. They describe themselves as a darkpop duo who are unsure on how this story ends yet, and this, gentle folk, is all I know about them

This four track EP kicks off with “Distance,” and almost instantly I am hit with the fact that the vocals are very much the focus rather than inhabiting within the music itself which is refreshing. This is a mixture of guitar and synths both having their time in focus, and somewhere I am sure I heard the voice of a female singer delicately chiming in. A winding guitar intro guides us into “From The Dream,” leading you along a path of memories past. The synths light the way, as the the pace picks up and the guitar drives us on.

The title track “Unloved,” has a very early 80s feel to it and a bleakness, as if nothing can fill a hole, as the lead singer bleeds out, and yet there are still these amazing jangling guitars tethering us. “The Path” has a beautiful play between bass and guitar. It wavers between sorrow and intense loneliness, yet there is still a glimmer of hope.

Dire Path seem to be a mix of 80s post-punk with modern darkwave, and the more you listen to the tracks, the more you realise how intricate the musicianship is. With Unloved as their first release, we will be watching with great interest how they grow and what they do next. They might admit they are ‘unsure how it ends,’ but I would say it is is a pretty wonderful beginning.

Unloved | Dire Path (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/dire.path/

by on

We are going to talk about Swedish act Against I. The three piece has a new EP out, ironically called Destruction Lullaby, though to be quite frank, at seven tracks, this really could be called a full length album. Released on the Twisted Flesh Recordings label, my only warning is to prepare your ears to be bombarded with heavy industrial metal.

And so begins the assault with bludgeoning drum blasts, as the call to the dispossessed and rejected to take back what is theirs rings out with Croona’s vocals pile driving into the screaming guitars in “Dark divine.” The electronic angelic crowd stand testament to the apocalyptic destruction of “World in ruin,” a combination of classical meets metal, that is raised into the stratosphere by the synths.

“The sacrifice” is a walk into damnation, raw and bleeding from the shadow of a broken soul, claustrophobic and clinging like a oily film to the skin. Following this is the ode to a million ways to die, the track “Death defined,” with the slamming drums and hum of slashing guitar, all the while Croona goes full demonic.

The concept of reality can be just as cruel as your worst nightmare is explored in “A violent dream,” and this track points to a far more metal background, with soaring guitar and an inexplicable Nordic intent. There is a always a “Calm before the storm” and it is the same with this track, because when it hits, it is with righteous fury, which leaves us bared for the title track “Destruction lullaby,” with the winding synths and stomping beats while the vocals vie for dominance with the guitar.

Maybe it is time to give the monsieurs three, that being Mathias Back, Anders Ström and Fredrik Keith Croona, a little recognition and a listen if you haven’t before. There is no calm before the storm. There is only the storm, that is full of metal shards bound in shocking electronic power, driving rhythms and vocals of a madman unbound in a world where everything has gone to hell. This is Against I and they will pummel you to sleep with their Destruction Lullaby, a sonorous head beating.

Destruction Lullaby | Against I | Twisted Flesh Recordings (bandcamp.com)

Facebook

by on

As a dark subculture type, I don’t take myself very seriously and tend to love groups that share that ideal. Athens based Greek band Falooda, are a new project for members Loverman (vocals, synth), Luku luku miu miu (drums), Themis Vasiliou (guitar) and Manolo (bass), with their first release on Bandcamp ironically called Demo 2024.

The four track EP is a mix of punk and experimental noise, with the first track “Orizuru” smacking your ears with the vocals that are a mix of Reverend Horton Heat and Mr Fiend (Alien Sex Fiend), with a pinch of Tom Waits. i was giggling at the end with the gurgling duck noises.

Shake your tail feathers to “Boolean Religion” as you start to wonder if you are trapped in a Japanese movie with Cheech and Chong plus a rather large consignment of weed. “Bottleneck” is a hail of screaming guitar pushed to their limit, before the final track, “Disaster Recovery” climaxes in the self imploding ecstasy of a thousand lost souls.

The guys describe their sound as ‘noise funk dessert with rose syrup, vermicelli, milk and sweet basil seed,’ and this is possibly true should you ever meet them and try a quick lick. However, a comment on Youtube said that Falooda was like ‘listening to Mr Bungle on acid‘….. and quite frankly, I completely agree. Utterly bonkers!!

Demo 2024 | Falooda (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/faloodasound

https://www.instagram.com/faloodasound/

by on

Shall we travel into the “BLACK ABYSS” where humanity eeks out their days? This is the latest single from Brit MATT HART, and there probably isn’t a better group of acts to remix this single than Opal Dusk, Modulate, Teknovore and SPANKTHENUN,

The original track is an interesting mixture of light synths against the bleak vocals of HART and the plunging rhythms, probing the darkest depths that the humans have had to dig themselves into for mere survival. The Opal Dusk remix is a highlight of the bright synths with MATT HART’s angst, while the Modulate version is like a slow burn, making you wait on the edge for it to climax, and just when you think it never will, the track picks you up in a swirling maelstrom. The prowess of Teknovore is going to hit you with a dance floor killer, that is constantly on the move and emphasising the desperation of the vocals, while the SPANKTHENUN BOOTLEG MIX has the vocals at the fore, echoing and malevolent, as if there has been that loss of humanity, perhaps devoid of their own souls.

The ongoing tale of flesh versus machine is MATT HART’s opus. A story against all odds and it isn’t over yet as alien machines terraform a planet into a cold wasteland, whilst attempting to exterminate the human pests who must burrow into the soil, towards the warmth and safety of the core. As always, it is so interesting to hear the different takes on “BLACK ABYSS” and what each musician takes from the track. From the original version through to the remixes, they all have that wonderful synergy and all belong in the clubs.

BLACK ABYSS EP | MATT HART (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/djmatthartuk

https://www.instagram.com/matthart3808

Music | Opal Dusk (bandcamp.com)

Music | Modulate (bandcamp.com)

Music | TeknoVore (bandcamp.com)

Music | spankthenun (bandcamp.com)

by on

Giglinger are a post-punk rock band from Finland, who have been around since the 90s. In December, they released a four track EP called React, which is also out on limited 12″ vinyl, and has its international release in the European Spring of 2024.

The first track “Murder,” greets your ears with a sonic front of guitar, which becomes layered with even more guitar and feedback, fed by the ever present drums. The vocals chime in, gravelly and forceful on occasion but this is all about the guitars being centre stage. With no time to waste, it is straight into “Chant.” Altered vocals are anguished and pushed to breaking point, while the guitars surge and boil

The rumble of bass and more completive guitar rolls into the glorious “MIA.” This possibly the most shoegaze like track and it is truly breath taking, whisking you away. “Prague” is the heaviest of all the tracks, in a progressive rock vein. Building in volume and strength, while the low vocals almost imperceptible, creeping in, before they ring out clear and stark.

There is something very familiar about Giglinger’s music and it isn’t that I have heard the tracks before, but rather it is more the way they evoke the love of soaring shoegaze guitar and the irreverence in sticking to a set pattern, rather following the music. This style means some pieces are much longer but in essence never feel over extended, A solid EP for Giglinger.

React | giglinger (bandcamp.com)

http://www.giglinger.com/

by on

Yeah, there was no way I was going to give up the chance to review an EP called Fuck, from a noise artist by the name of Conan The Accountant. Is this all adding up yet and does he get upset by magic? We have not all the answers, but I can tell you that the three tracks on the EP have been woven with whatever noise that Conan (known to his friends as Ben) can push out of a Fender Stratocaster.

There might be a ghost in the machine when it comes to the first track “Of Death And Taxes,” as strange vocalisations issue forth from an miasma of laid back noise. It is off to the demon faire to see the “Clown Girl From Hell,” and she does sound like a sassy lass performing in a circus of heady oddities, where the music see-saws between show time and walking the tightrope. It seems to almost seamlessly slips into “Conan The Accountant And The Cave Of The Cursed 1000,” where our hero shall slay all before him with his calculator as it computes and warbles, plodding down his foe with mathematical precision.

Why is this EP called Fuck? I really have no clue on that one, but hey, it catches your attention in case Conan The Accountant doesn’t. Rock noise with a tortured Fender seems the way to go and it is a fun concept, plus it is pretty amazing how many different sounds can be extruded from the one instrument.

Fuck | Conan The Accountant (bandcamp.com)

by on

From Louisville, Kentucky, the duo of Stephen Beasey and Brian Cain are the darkwave band Who Saw Her DIe?, and have released in December, the EP, Ignoring The Serpent.

Oh dear, “Emma” it seems is a stalker, who doesn’t understand the word no, looking to control the subject of her misplaced affection. The vocals deep and foreboding, as they tell of Emma’s indiscretions and unhealthy obsession. Angels can be found in many religions and not all are the light bringers which many pray to now. Rather, they are often avenging beings and this is the premise of “Angel Of Old.” There is a beautiful mix of synths and guitar, that play and intertwine throughout the track, all set to a spritely dance rhythm.

The last track is “Ignoring The Serpent,” slower and far more introspective. The serpent is the metaphor for evil and the premise is that no matter what happens to a person, we can hold onto that which makes us a decent human. The guitar sprinkles this lament with light while the synths and vocals are the grave warning of the loss of this humanity.

Who Saw Her Die? delves into the synth based sound of the 80s and marry it to the far more modern darkwave drone with sparkling guitar work. It really works for them, as they write about the human psyche, the paranormal and how they feed into each other. Don’t be ignoring this serpent, because the bite is quite intoxicating.

Ignoring the Serpent | Who Saw Her Die? (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/whosawherdie