Two new reviews from Chain D.L.K.:
BLÆRG, “Dysphoric Sonorities“.
After listening to Life Toward Twilight, I put this on and was not quite prepared for what came out of the speakers. BLÆRG unloads with both barrels, throwing down some harsh broken beats that reminds me a lot of Venetian Snares. But not all of it is so spastic. “Thrice Vexed” has its moments of calm mixed with the beats and “Crepuscular Harlotry” sounds like what would happen if there was a breakcore Bollywood soundtrack. Overall, this is complicated (but certainly not random), noisy beats mixed with lilting synth lines that provide a nice counterpoint. Of course there are the obligatory random samples as well to provide humor. The artwork also adds a bit of humor, with a woman wearing an octopus on her head. Certainly worth checking out, especially since you can get it for free on the label’s website. The disc weighs in at about 34 minutes.
Life Toward Twilight, “Blood”
I had previously reviewed Life Toward Twilight’s “We Waited For A Subtle Dawn,” so I was pleasantly surprised when this came in the mail. This is considerably different from their other disc. It sounds like they attempted to create the soundtrack to a disturbing movie, and the song titles seem to support this view – tracks like “Zombie Infestation” and “R’lyeh” (I’m a huge fan of Lovecraft’s literature, so this immediately caught my eye) provide a hint as to the kind of feeling that they are after. Overall, this disc works pretty well. Distant screams combine with atmospheric synth soundscapes and clanging metal to provide a heavy atmosphere. I would say that this is an excellent disc to pick up just in time for Halloween to scare the trick or treaters that come to your door. If Coil’s “Hellraiser” soundtrack wasn’t dark enough for you, this is a definite to pick up. If you have any doubts, you can get it for free on the label’s website. The only issue I see is that the disc is pretty short, weighing in at around 17 minutes, but it’s a fun 17 minutes.
