Ten releases this time so it should keep you entertained for a while, this time Fighting Boredom gives you our views on SCXLVR where ‘distorted beats and dub bass collide with ambient layers, glitchy textures and ethereal tones’. The ‘mystery and intensity’ of Pocket Dimension. The Incidental Crack who say ‘It’s just some sounds’. Lee Ashcroft’s ‘journey through physical and mental challenges’. ‘ alternative rockers’ Amongst Liars. The ’emotional rave’ of Kiasmos. The ‘psychedelic, and transportive’ release by Hypnodrone Ensemble. Yomi Ship’s ‘Australian Psychedelic Art-Rock’. The ‘Phili-based grindcore quartet’ Diuretic and the first two albums from ‘London Street Punk Oi! band’ the Cockney Rejects. Have a read and listen below.
SCXLVR – SCXLVR
Cruel Nature
Menacing glitching hip hop beats circle round as a woman’s voice asks ‘are you okay?’ Judging from the feel of this music, no, no I’m not, no I’m very much not okay. There are tiny noises and what sounds like brushes on drums, industrial doom beats and lots and lots of wobbling electronics. It does get more direct as the tape goes on but the overriding feeling is of unease, of something not being right, of not wanting to look over your shoulder just in case there really is something there.
Pocket Dimension – Pocket Dimension
Cruel Nature
An organic sounding electronic pulse drives this music, the five tracks are best listened to on the whole album mix included at the end of the download. It builds up then disappears away, you are drawn in as the sputtering static deep down in the mix gets into your head. It’s a long, languid sink into the depths.
The Incidental Crack – No More Bangers
Cruel Nature
I mean they’re right, there are no more bangers on this release. It’s like the dance has finished but the machines need to cool down and get cleaned out before the next one. Wobbling noises and muffled helicopter blades spin around in the silence. Everything is tiny and small, minimalist to say the least, there’s hardly anything here at all, beats flow in and out, chimes twinkle and water covers everything. I’d say ambient or chill out if those words didn’t leave a bad taste in my mouth. Lean back and immerse yourself.
Lee Ashcroft – Persons Underground
Cruel Nature
I don’t know how to describe this one. It starts with a slice of life story over a sea of strings and a bass drone which gradually form an emotional and resonating tune, and it ends with a short haunting melody. But in between there is jazz trumpet, what sounds like a child playing a xylophone, industrial beats, synths, drones, layer upon layers on top of each other. It feels like a huge huge span of music and the only way to describe it is to get it in your head, so, you know what to do.
Amongst Liars – By Design
Earache
I mean, it starts well with an uneasy scratchy static crawl and ends well with cool metal riffage. But in the middle it loses its way a tad. The guitars are great but sometimes the emo vocal seems like it’s trying too hard and that prog song is not my thing. But having said that, it’s a decent album and the kids will love it.
Kiasmos – II
Erased Tapes
Icelandic and Faroese dance music, as you may expect the overriding aspect of this is just the sheer space they conjure up. It sounds wide open, air flooding through it and water pooling all around. It’s gentle, soothing and muffled. Spaced out and chiming that sparkles brightly as the sun sets. An excellent album.
Hypnodrone Ensemble “The Problem Is In The Sender – Do Not Tamper With The Receiver”
Cruel Nature
Now this one is something special, long tracks up to the bonus track which is nearly twenty six minutes long. It’s a jazz infused, psychedelic epic journey. Helped along with wailing vocals which act as another instrument, fuzz and the endless sounds of the drums. It’s a collection of mantras that change so subtly that you don’t realise that what started as skittery jazz drumming becomes a gigantic psychedelic groove monster, almost unbearably dense and beautiful. This is essential.
Yomi Ship – Feast Eternal
I like the psychedelic strange bits on this one, I quite like the charms twinkling. But the rest is pretty average widdling around in a progressive rock kind of fashion and it’s not my bag at all, one for someone else.
Diuretic – Zero Days Without Incident
Strange Mono
A quick punch to the gut of full on shouty hard core punk, dense and fast. The last song slows down a fraction, and at the end I feel like I’ve been in a fight. The whole thing lasts around ten minutes, and would be brilliant live.
Cockney Rejects – Greatest Hits Vol. 1 & 2
Captain Oi!
A welcome rerelease of two rough as old boots shouty angry Oi street punk, and despite what they say they are not greatest hits albums. It’s angry working class East End kids singing about what they know, and what they know is football, West Ham, fighting, hating, anger and taking the piss. It’s not like you haven’t heard them already but if it’s passed you by get into it now.
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SCXLVR are on Bandcamp.
Pocket Dimension are on Bandcamp.
The Incidental Crack are on Bandcamp.
Lee Ashcroft’s website is onemanunderground.co.uk. He is also on Facebook and Instagram.
Amongst Liars website is amongstliars.com, they are on Facebook, Instagram and X as @amongstliars.
Kiasmos’ website is kiasmos.is, they are also on Instagram, Facebook and X as @kiasmos_.
Hypnodrone Ensemble are on Facebook and Instagram.
Yomi Ship’s website is yomiship.com, they are also on Facebook and Instagram.
Diuretic are on Instagram.
Cockney Rejects’ website is cockneyrejects.com, they are also on Facebook and X as @cockneyrejects2.
All words by Adrian Bloxham
