Elohi 'Enochiana' Review

Artist: Elohi

Title: Enochiana

Label: Synchronos

Released: 21^st Feb

This new three track space ambient single is by Lucaz Samotyha a graphic artist and composer from Poland. Mastered in Abstract Studios, Spain by Rual Jordan (Labs Cloud). So after an albeit short introduction lets move on to the music.

The first track ‘Kether’ begins with heavenly choral and melodic synths voices, eventually Tangerine Dream like sequenced loops push the pace a tad but are still surrounded by a choral ambience and at just over eleven minutes long there’s plenty of scope for progression as the piece rises as drops.

The next track ‘For Saturn’ is still reminiscent of TD with more sequenced loops over ambient atmospheres, deep bass stabs and vocal samples. It’s a pleasant enough piece that works well in places but doesn’t grab me quite as well as the first.

Finally the single comes to a close with ‘Gratitude’ where choral voices are predominant in the first section of the piece, as it progresses bleepy little loops and vocal samples are added whilst towards the end it’s sounding like a nod back to late 90’s trance.

Reviewed by Woodzee

Links

https://synchronos-recordings.bandcamp.com/album/elohi-enochiana

https://soundcloud.com/user-749317978

A Hundred Drums 'A Hundred Drums' Review

Artist: 

A Hundred Drums

Title: 

A Hundred Drums

Label: 

Gravitas Recordings

Released:

14^th February

Gabrielle Watson’s self-titled album symbolises what she intends to accomplish with her production. Choosing ‘A Hundred’ for it’s spiritual and social importance, whilst ‘Drums’ call our hearts to beat in sync. With this project Gabrielle aspires to align all listeners heartbeats to her BPM, unifying us all in the music. We beat with collective heart on the day celebrating love.

Gabrielle s also a board member and facilitator with Shakti Sound, an all-female DJ/Production retreat for beginners, which hopes to create a movement that prioritizes accessibility and representation across all cultures, demographics and backgrounds through workshops on production, meditation, movement, press, promotion, social media etc. Additionally, she is the founder of B-Sides an L.A. based production company previously nominated as the best Dub-Step promoter by the label Dubploc.

So after the introduction how does it sound? We begin with ‘Shakti Sound’ a short intro that is somewhat of a soundclash of indidgenous tribal music and vintage film soundtracks, accompanied as you may expect by tribal’esque drums that descends into an ambient drone. This is followed by the Wicker Man themed ‘Circles’ feat. James Xavier where the tribal drums plod along with eerie electronic sounds, distorted vocals and touches of low frequency bass. The dark theme remains on ‘Boogie Man’ where low bass and drum breaks roll off Gabrielle’s haunting whispery vocals.

The intro is more melodic on ‘Psy-Area’ before synth loops swirl around the low frequency squelchy bass. Were back to that dark feel with ‘Apex’ where the ticking clock fooled me into thinking the bass was going to drop hard and heavy. However, it’s actually more of a laid back dub-step piece. The Vibe Emissions mix of ‘Circles’ places emphasis on the heavy bass with a few licks of pacy rolling drum loops. A more stereotypical dub-step track all in all. Then we finish with the Leon Switch re-mix of Lord of Tings feat. Jayne Gray. Which is my favourite Jayne’s lyrics set me in mind of Digable Planets, fitting like a glove with the eerie atmospheric dub-step behind.

To summarise this isn’t stereotypical bass music or dub-step it’s dark and experimental so will probably appeal to a niche audience. That said I think the collaboration with Jayne Gray would appeal to a wider audience and perhaps should be pursued further, if of course it isn’t already.

Reviewed by Woodzee

Links

https://www.facebook.com/ahundreddrums

https://ahundreddrums.bandcamp.com/album/a-hundred-drums

Kick Bong 'Mission to Audition' Review

Artist: Kick Bong

Title: Mission to Audition

Label: Cosmicleaf

Released: 31^st January

Having listened to Francks music for many years now I’ve always felt he had a slightly unique slant to his productions. From the earlier psy-chill production that transcended into the electronica he produces today. This album (for me at least) symbolises the Kick Bong sound, where melody is paramount yet sometimes is juxtaposed against darker basslines and atmospheres. Quite possibly his best work to date.

The album gets underway with ‘A New Beginning’ where after a dark atmospheric start melodic chimes and indistinct voices drag you into the light. Whereas ‘Happy Baby’ has a more of a retro Detroit feel to it with a nice chilled break in the latter section. The intro on ‘All I Need’ is quite unique with field recording seagulls and a chilled atmosphere that works in somewhat of a crescendo when the bassline kicks in. Add vocal snippets that wouldn’t go amiss in a house or deep dub-step tune, and some stereo-typical synth loops by this point the album is drawing my attention.

Again I can draw comparison to the retro techno vibe on ‘All of Me’ alongside the stereotypical rave vocal hooks the tracks slowly descends and ascends as it progresses and it’s another good number. There’s a bit more grit to the bassline with ‘Happiness is Easy’ juxtaposed against melodic looped synths and the vibe that’s been built in the album so far is maintained. The intro on ‘I knew I Could Fly’ begins with laid back guitar but is soon joined by harsher electronic fuzz and melodic keys that carry you along.

By this point we are at the title track and this piece in some respects reminds me of early ambient dub at it’s best. However, the growling stabbing bassline gives it some extra push. Whilst ‘Chilly Wind’ is perhaps more laid back there’s also a plodding squelch amongst the guitar, mellow pads and harmonious voices all in all a lovely piece. The grand finale to the album is the extended re-mix of his recent single ‘Take Me Away’ and it couldn’t be more fitting.

Reviewed by Woodzee.

Links

https://cosmicleaf.bandcamp.com/album/mission-to-audition

Sigemundsen 'Sofa Crash' Review

Artist: Sigemundsen

Title: Sofa Crash

Label: Cosmicleaf

Released: 17^th January

Copehagen based Claus Sigemundsen has a background in classical music from a young age and produces progressive trance and chill out music. It’s fairly obvious by the title which category this release falls into and as I haven’t come across his productions before I’m keeping an open mind.

We get underway with ‘Dream State’ which begins with slow delayed keys and keeps you waiting for the introduction of the beat. At this point the piece takes on a lighter feel encompassing the former section. Whilst ‘Coffee Daze’ places the focus on piano keys reflecting his classical influences, over an ambient drone and crackling drum pattern. This is followed by ‘Sins in Science’ which again places the focus on the piano, this time with more delay and eventually accompanied by strings. Thus creating a more more moody orchestral feel.

Now we reach the title track which surprisingly has a bit more drive to it than it’s predecessors. It’s a nice enough piece of ambient electronica none-the-less that pretty much blurs the lines with deep house. The pace drops back once again with ‘Breaking Dawn’ a gentle piece of ambient electronica with those stereo-typical ocean waves making sporadic appearances. The album then takes another change in direction with ‘Eyes on the Horizon’ where choral synths juxtapose with moodier darker sounds and a drum pattern that teases you into the feeling it could break out into a dnb number at any given moment.

Now we reach the latter part of the album with ‘Earth Aid’ a laid back piece of electronica with added air pressure like releases and occasional chimes which sets me in mind of Vangelis. Then to see us out is ‘Pilgrim’ which once again picks up the pace somewhat, peppered with Balearic’esque guitar strings against a darker bassline. Creating a sense that the piece is gliding between the light and the dark.

Reviewed by Woodzee

Links

https://cosmicleaf.bandcamp.com/album/sofa-crash

Dan Wainwright 'The Effect' Review

Artist: Dan Wainwright

Title: The Effect

Label: Oddball Records

Released: 26^th January

This up-and-coming single produced by the boss of this previously unknown to me Liverpool based label was inspired by a dog training class, where the teachers moved in circles faster and faster all the time, otherwise this would not achieve the ‘effect’. This struck Dan as cult like and ritualistic as he imagined heavy percussion and summoning demons. My introduction lies in the first of the two re-mixers Leeds based John Paynter who hosts the Space Aged Freakout radio show/event and has recently warmed up for none other than Andrew Weatherall and Sean Johnson at their A Love From Outer Space event. The other guys on remix duties are psychedelic rock group Children of Night who draw inspiration from Pink Floyd’s ‘A Saucerful of Secrets’ album.

The original track sets me in mind of the Art of Noise a semi funky nod back to the 80’s, chugging along with a heavy plodding tribal beat. Whilst John places the emphasis on eerie theramin like sounds stretching off the bassline. Which lives up to the ‘Space Aged’ moniker, being reminiscent of those old sci-fi movies and in my opinion it works a treat. Last but not least the Children of Night’s ritualistic re-vision is another superb adaptation of the original, this full band re-working features heavy percussion and plenty of echo alongside the guitars.

Review by Woodzee

Links

Eguana 'Invisible Civilizations Vol 4' Review

Artist:

Eguana

Album:

Invisible Civilization Vol 4

Label:

Cosmicleaf

Released:

13^th January

The fourth instalment in this space ambient series from Russia’s Eguana which creates wonderful beat less atmospheres with which he takes you on a journey incorporating lush synth waves, harmonic voices and ambient drones. The first track ‘Deep Dive’ is a great example of this style within the ambient umbrella and he completely nails it.

I find with this type of music it’s really just about lying back, closing your eyes and drifting off and this album suits that purpose. So it’s hard to maintain focus on these subtle changes for review purposes with no obvious change of pace or beat. The one track that really caught my attention throughout this journey was ‘Recalling Experience’ but I can’t really put my finger on why it appealed to me more than the other tracks.

My conclusion if you like beat less space ambient then you can’t really go wrong with this release. However, if you prefer a little acceleration check out his previous album ‘Destiny’.

Reviewed by Woodzee

https://cosmicleaf.bandcamp.com/album/invisible-civilization-vol-4

The Russian Linesman 'Monomyth II - The Road of Trials' Review

Artist:

The Russian Linesman

Title:

Monomyth II – The Road of Trials

Label:

Loki Recordings

Released:

24^th January

The second release of this six part series inspired by Joseph Campbells ‘A hero with a thousand faces’ which is an analysis of centuries of human storytelling, based around the anthropological theories of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, and this fascinating book provided the blueprint for this new Russian Linesman project – an artistic abstraction of the concept of the Monomyth – a formula we are all familiar with in modern day films and books.

In narratology and comparative mythology, the Monomyth, or the Hero's Journey, is the common template of a broad category of storytelling that involves a hero who goes on an adventure, and in a decisive crisis wins a victory, then comes home changed or transformed.

These productions layer recorded storytelling over collated instrumentation and field recordings. Throughout the series the storytellers often prefer to remain anonymous. However, this release contains two of his favourite poets Ben Norris and Malaika Keygode.

The opening track ‘The Belly of the Whale’ featuring Ben Norris is a light and airy piece of feel good electronica whilst Ben’s poetry juxtaposes between apology and positivity although the words are positive there’s a melancholic feel to his voice. This is followed by ‘Enemies’ featuring Malaika Keygode, where the atmospheric intro is followed by a chugging beat, whilst Malaika’s voice makes this piece reminiscent of Anne Clarke’s ‘Sleeper in Metropolis’ which in my opinion is no bad thing.

Now the anonymous take over the storyteller roles firstly with ‘Temptress’ a combination of laid back sequenced synths with a theme of fantasies and attraction. The finale ‘Dragon Battle’ could be described as a piece of laid back trip-hop, counterbalance with a tale of subduing a drunken man on a plane from opening the door in flight.

Reviewed by Woodzee

Links

Beatport: https://www.beatport.com/release/monomyth-i-the-departure/2740891

All Stores: https://lnkfi.re/Monomyth-I