ISSUE #41
To Leave a Note
by Kelpe
London-based electronic music producer, Kelpe has released a new single ahead of his upcoming LP due August 7, 2020. To Leave a Note is an episode of indecision. It starts off as a pensive drive along chilly coastlines. The windows are rolled down slightly, and while the breeze makes you shiver, there's a warmth generated in you while you tap your feet or bob your head to the rhythm. You know exactly what you're doing or where you're headed in this moment, but when the sounds of alarm-like synth samples enter the mix, you're struck with a jolt of self-doubt and suddenly, your joy ride down the coast ceases to have a destination.
Check out the rest of his singles and pre-order the upcoming album If Not Now When on Bandcamp.
Yes
by Shinichi Atobe
Based out of Saitama Japan, Shinichi Atobe has released his fifth studio album, Yes. To describe this album as strictly house music would be a disservice to Shinichi Atobe-- it is much more complex than that. This album is comprised of sanguine, wide-eyed melodies with rhythms that simultaneously calm you and stimulate your urge to get up and move. Its optimistic characteristics are amplified by its bouncy drum patterns merged with atmospheric synths that envelop your physical being in a blanket of good vibes. The universe knows we all need some optimism these days.
Listen to Yes on SoundCloud here.
Virus
by Haken
London-based progressive rock band Haken formed in 2007 and has gradually expanded their sound into an amalgamation of churning metal riffs, jazz time signatures, chromatic synths and anthemic vocals that defies categorization. Their brand new LP Virus dropped today and is a sonic tour de force that traverses fiery chasms and pristine mountaintops, lyrically detailing a rise to power and beyond to tyranny, the virus of dominance invading all aspects of life.
From the first minute a metric ton of angry guitar kicks down the door, boiling dynamically into the beautiful, temporary reprieve of vocalist Ross Jennings’ seraphic voice. Jazz breakdowns with brushed drums and melancholic reverb create space between the stalking pillars of molten metal that make up the bedrock of this album. The dexterity with which this sextet migrates from genre to genre and progressive passage to incendiary breakdown is astonishing and consistent. The 10+ minute Carousel envelopes so many unique sections it could be an EP all on its own - syncopated drums and whispered vocals morph into a cosmic tapping section with swelling synthesizers, which then ascends freely into a malevolent technical metal section. And that’s before you get to the five-part song that makes up nearly half of the album.
Image courtesy of Haken.
For metalheads like myself, this album is a beautiful conglomerate of styles anchored in highly-satisfying and crushingly heavy riff-writing. For the rest of listeners, Jenning’s always-clean vocals and the band’s wide-ranging sound make for an excellent entry point into the genre, laying a velvet runway from which to explore the worlds of progressive rock and metal without getting bullied by blast beats or agitated by harsh screams or pig squeals. Simply put, this album has it all, and deserves the attention of at least one listen through with no distractions. So rich is the tapestry woven with word and string that I challenge anyone to absorb the whole thing in one sitting.
Haken has a discography that lives up to this album, and I encourage you to be adventurous with your listening this weekend. Stream the album on Spotify here or buy it and support these incredibly talented players here.
