Review of Nystada – Yearning / Escape EP on Mobius Spin (mbsspn006)

 

Nystada on twitter; Mobius Spin on bandcamp

Each song on this release is really well crafted, you get the impression each sound has been meticulously created and then placed with precision to create each song. There’s great layering, very solid synth sounds and a real attention to detail that very clearly shines through.

Underneath Your Smile Opens with hit type effects and atmospheric vocals, Slightly haunting actually. The atmosphere in this song builds really well, there are great synth sounds leading into sparse percussion which sounds spot on. It evolves and ebbs and flows really well.

Magnifying Utopia Great opening sounds to this song, like a glitched sound of the sea. Again great layering of different sound types and great synth sounds. This track evolves really well and has more of an urgent feel at times. Percussion enters just after half way through and again is sparse but suits the song really well.

Interplanetary Mind Dive This song has a slightly different feel to it, more of a defined beat and there’s a greater use of synth sounds. The combination of bell type sounds, bassy percussion and glitchy sounds work really well.

I Don’t Know (bonus) There’s a totally different feel to this song. It has a sort of industrial techno feel through the percussion and sound effects but still retains a lot of ambient characteristics. The vocoder distorted vocals sound great.

I Don’t Know (3dtorus Creepy Ghost Edit) This song has a great opening, the beat builds gradually with subtle background elements. It’s aptly titled, the background vocals are creepy indeed and there is a dark feel, suggesting some impending unpleasantness, kind of like when reading H P Lovecraft. There is a really solid groove and great percussion sounds. There is a very brief respite then tension builds again before being released at the very end.

Wired to Follow – Short Code EP review

Wired to Follow on twitter
Wired to Follow on facebook

Short Code is a great 3 track EP. There is a great vibe through the three tracks, maintaining an ambient sound with some great piano lines but also weavimg other elements into the sound which grab and hold your attention.

Factory Reset
This song has a haunting kind of drone opening leading to some really nice electric piano type sound playing which works really well against the drone which evolves into a brighter type of sound as the piano fades into the background.

Come Back in One Piece
This song has a similar sort of feel, an evolving done with an emerging lead sound which remains more in the background. The song has an almost dreamlike quality.

Ephemeres
Ephemeres opens with lovely piano playing and has really nice subtle background elements, using reverse sounds rather than a drone which allows the piano to be the focus of the song. It has a really positive vibe.

Wired to Follow say Short Code is about progression through optimism. That’s a very good description. It has a cinematic soundscape quality, using layering to very good effect. The production is also really good, allowing different elements space to evolve.

Favourite Videos of the Week (20/08/14)

Latenite Automatic – Collapse
Great montage of different films in the production of this video. The song has a great drive and energy.

  

Robb Murphy – When Silence Comes
A great vibe to this song, really well played and great vocals. Video is really well produced.

  

Sarah Schonert – Muscle Memory, Fading
Great vocals and sounds on this song which has a haunting quality. Great use of artwork and photos in the video.

  

Eva Bowan – Midnight Gathering
There’s a great drone quality to this song with excellent layering and use of textures to create a brilliant soundscape. The video compliments the song brilliantly too, very well put together and rather spooky.

  

Ummagma – The Road to Lees
Great imagery in the video, it really holds yours attention. The song is a great blend of dreamy vocals and an almost chillhop groove, a very well produced song.

  

Francesca Fabris – Everlasting Dream
Francesca has a great voice that suits this folk sound very well. The song is really well played with a great feel.

Favourite Videos of the Week 14/08/14

Blabpipe – Life
There’s a great energy to this song which also has great riffing and vocals. Really like the lyric video idea too.

  

The Hours – Steady Glazed Eyes
Great vocals on this song, really nice laid back groove.

  

Civilized Tears – Stars
This is a brilliant video, works really well in back and white. And it’s got the most waterproof mascara I’ve ever seen. The song is really catchy with drive, great vocals and great harmonies.

  

Lazy Lee – Full Circle
Lazy Lee have a great sound and the song demonstrates a real togetherness and polished performance. The video is really well produced and an ideal way to showcase their talent.

  

Martyn Bailey – Panic in the Skies (Radio Edit)
Nice blending of old and new video footage, really like the piano playing and the great vocals.

  

A Day for Strange Birds – Albatross
This video is described as ‘mostly trees blowing’ and it is, but it works really well, suiting the dark feel of the song and the evolution of textures and tension.

Review of Rivers Flow Red! Sampler on Factory Fast Records

 

Factory Fast Records on twitter

Rivers Flow Red! is the second ‘virtual vinyl’ sampler to be released by Factory Fast Records out of NYC. All four songs are mixed and mastered into one easily downloadable file. Virtual Vinyl means the songs are specifically engineered to sound like a record.

This sampler highlights four different indie rock bands each of which have their own sounds but each one demonstrate great drive and energy. There are really great grooves, chunky riffs and some very nice soloing across a range of diverse styles.

Those very kind folks at Factory Fast have made Rivers Flow Red! available to my blog readers for a very special price of $2 (that’s about £1.65) using this special offer link

The first track by Backbeat Circus opens with a great heavy riff and maintains a high energy throughout, briefly releasing the tension before building into a final chorus crescendo.

The second track by Lonnieclaire has a different feel, opens with a good little riff leading into almost disembodied sounding vocals. It’s got quite an edgy feel at times, good build and release of tension with some good lead soloing.

The third track by River Valley Search Party then raises the tempo somewhat, great intro building into a riff somewhere between glam rock and ZZ Top. Song maintains a solid groove on this sort of vein throughout. Nice use of organ sounds.

The fourth track by Great Reckoning has a great opening riff which reminded me a little bit of Mama Kin. Great groove complimented by very nice soloing.

Favourite Video Selection of the Week (07/08/14)

This subject proved quite popular so here’s the next installment:

Sisteray – She Likes the Drama
Sisteray are a great band, this song has a really good vibe and the production of the video is really effective. Coincidentally the 12″ has recently been released on a limited press of 300 and is available from here

  

Ten 79 Band – Wayside
This song has great drive and momentum so it’s a great subject choice for the video. I recognise that road, where are all the motorbikes? there’s usually loads. I was half expecting that car to pull out of the layby too.

  

Ian Haygreen – Movements
It’s fair to say Ian is rather prolific, check his bandcamp page and you’ll see what I mean. Great feel to this song.

  

Leona’s Sister – Night Turns into Day
This video is a couple of years old now but it’s a really good song. Leona’s Sister are a great band and a great supporter of other bands.

  

Strobegirl – Lonely Like Me
Great idea to use your own paintings and photos for the video Heather. A really catchy song, beautiful vocals.

  

Pinklogik – Gone but Not Forgotten
I love this song, it’s beautiful, haunting and sad all at the same time. The video is excellently shot and produced, it’s captivating and really adds to the feel of the song which is taken From the album Random Access Memory – Written & Produced By Julie Straw – Released By Section 27 Netlabel [S27-109] – 2012

Review of Creatures of the Night Sampler on Factory Fast Records

 

Factory Fast Records on twitter

Creatures of the night is the third ‘virtual vinyl’ sampler to be released by Factory Fast Records out of NYC. All four songs are mixed and mastered into one easily downloadable file. Virtual Vinyl means the songs are specifically engineered to sound like a record.

What’s really good about this sampler EP is that none of the artists fall into or rely on the ‘rock’ stereotype. And that’s a really good thing because it means that the indie spirit is alive and truly kicking. Whilst there is riffing, overdriven guitars and solid rhythm sections they each have a very individual sound and are well arranged without being overproduced.

Those very kind folks at Factory Fast have made Creatures of the Night available to my blog readers for a very special price of $2 (that’s about £1.65) using this special offer link

The first track by Vegas Death Rays opens the sampler with a great distorted tone and riff. Maintains a great groove and energy all the way through with some solid lead playing.

The second track by Death of a Rat is a bit more laid back and has a deconstructed feel to it, all of the elements are there but kind of separated out through the song.

The third track by The Oneneeders has a great opening groove maintained through the song, nice lead and riffing. Has a kind of garage band feel to it being well arranged and put together but not overproduced.

The fourth track by Fryfogle has a great opening tone and riff. The vocals sound almost disembodied. Great groove, Slightly laid back feel but sold rhythm maintains the energy and drive. Again has a garage band type of sound that is not overproduced.

Review of Bag of Bones sampler on Factory Fast Records

 

Factory Fast Records on twitter

Bag of Bones is the Fourth ‘virtual vinyl’ sampler to be released by Factory Fast Records out of NYC. All four songs are mixed and mastered into one easily downloadable file. Virtual Vinyl means the songs are specifically engineered to sound like a record.

And if you wanted to showcase talent, this is a great way to do it. There is a real bittersweet feel to this EP. On the one hand each of the tracks has a great vibe but equally they are tales of despair. It’s a great selection of tracks, each one different in style but with a similar theme and each is equally very well produced and showcases great vocals and very accomplished playing.

Those very kind folks at Factory Fast have made Bag of Bones available to my blog readers for a very special price of $2 (that’s about £1.65) using this special offer link

The first track by Outwoods County Riders has a slightly laid back feel with a solid groove. There is great banjo playing and nice harmonica use. Vocals just behind the beat and suit the song very well. It is quite a sad story though.

The second song by Gabriel Brox has kind of an alt-Bluegrass feel. Again there is a solid groove and the spoken vocals take me to a place somewhere between JJ Cale, Ray Wiley Hubbard and Johnny Cash. That’s a great place to be if not a little unnerving.

The third track by Andy Zovko has more of a bluesy feel to it. You can really feel the pain and angst in the vocals which are really well complimented by the guitar playing.

The fourth track by Genuine Crude has a brilliant intro – great piano playing leading into a great guitar riff. This track has such a great vibe to it, kind of Counting Crows-esque and again you can feel the pain in the vocals.

So in summary, this is a great sampler which showcases excellent talent. The tracks are all played and really well produced, a highly recommended release.