review: Vatican Shadow

Vatican Shadow... I have to admit this act was not known to me for some time... even though quite some tapes were released. It was only with the vinyl release of the 'Kneel Before Religious Icon' album I took notice.

Behind Vatican Shadow is the same person who runs the Hospital Productions label... who is also the same person as Prurient and the same person who is involved in Cold Cave... among many more projects and bands...

Cold Cave... only when I thought about it I hear it in the 'Kneel Before Religious Icon' album... like with Cold Cave tracks the basis is a minimalistic and continuous rhythm... a loop going on from beginning to end... but different as with Cold Cave the layers on top of this are much darker... also there is no singing which makes Cold Cave rather pop minded...

Vatican Shadow is not pop minded at all... it is dark and haunting stuff... like neo-folk/dark folk done with electronics... making all sounding rather industrial... the minimal raw rhythms and the dark, often heroic sounding melodies on top of it... marching tunes in a way...

But... at times it has this techno touch in a weird way... not your everyday trendy club techno... no much more off radar dark and raw techno played at some obscure party in an abandoned bunker... the hypnotic aspect is there... the minimalism works trance indulging... just like good techno does...

So yes I was more then happy with this vinyl... so I also bought the other two vinyls... as recently two 12"s came out... the first one with the title 'Iraqi Praetorian Guard'... featuring two dark ambient tracks which are okay but did not get me as jumpy as the album did... on the flip side a techno remix (!!)... so I was curious about that for sure... too bad this remix does not add anything at all... even worse... it kills the vibe of the track completely... the simple and not raw enough beats leave no space for the melodic part... this is not a track I would play as dj nor would like to dance to...

Maybe Vatican Shadow thought the same thing... who knows? Anyway, the 'September Cell' 12" just hits the right spot... this is Vatican Shadow as on the album BUT with spiced up rhythms that are less industrial sounding... more typical electronic but not simple techno beats... it has just the right balance between rawness and... and what? Dancefloor sensibility? Maybe... but without being commercial...

It refers to Autechre and Aphex Twin from with an industrial / dark ambient point of view... and maybe even adventurous dubstep fans might like it... I look forward to further productions of Vatican Shadow if this is the way the music is going and growing...

Here is the complete A side of the 'September Cell' 12"... so both tracks which are one piece anyway...

review: Antlers Mulm - The Age Of Efficieny

I am quite sure I have said this before... the best minimal electronics is done by people who do not make this music because of this style but simply as a result of their way of working.

Antlers Mulm is not at all a name many people will come up with when talking about minimal electronics... but in the end this project by Hans Johm is just that. And... even better as Antlers Mulm treats us with some of the best minimal electronics around with this new album entitled 'The Age Of Efficiency'.

What makes the music so good is that Antlers Mulm combines in a very natural way elements of synth music, industrial and neo folk. Musically this is like the dark side of minimal synth. You hear the dark mood coming in from some neo folk hooks. The industrial influences are harder to find on this new album but if you are familiar with the older work of Antlers Mulm you can hear where all of this is coming from. Also the design shows the tradition this music is situated in.

'The Age Of Efficiency' is somewhere in between some of the poppier stuff Antlers Mulm has done... like the track on the 'Radio Resistencia' compilation... and the more ambient orientated pieces to be found for example on his previous album 'Of Withered Sparks'. In bringing these worlds more together on this new album the musician has created very powerful songs and more important a true style of his own... even more as before...

The minimalism of Suicide is hidden in the repetitive basslines. This combined with eerie minimal synth sounds, neo-romantic and at times folky melodies and vocals delivered in a sort of spoken word way results in songs both soothing and disturbing. Impressive!

Also in another way this album is impressive. The complete album consists of an LP, a one sided LP and a two track cd. One track on this cd is done together with Frank Machau known from neo folk band Orplid. This massive album is still strong and attractive to listen to. Which is an achievement... as often less is more...

'The Age Of Efficiency' is released on the label Sonderübertragung! which is run by Hans Johm himself. The release comes in an edition of 197 hand numbered copies. So if you want to hear one of the best "minimal synth" albums of this year you should be quick...