Review: Call Super's 'Eulo Cramps'

by Martín Cacho
in Reviews

Discovering this album was quite an unexpected journey. While browsing the internet for new music releases, I stumbled upon an announcement for a new album by Call Super. Initially, I mistakenly thought it was a new release by Supercell, the Japanese rock-pop band known for their cheesy, colorful music filled with rainbows, water pistols, and high school love stories. However, upon delving into the thread, I was met with something entirely different—an album filled with madness, schizophrenic euphoria, and unconventional orthogonal musical structures.

"Eulo Cramps" is a wild experimental album that incorporates improvisatory elements from jazz, daring rhythmic concepts derived from electronic music procedures, and captivating performances using interesting metal idiophone instruments. The album also features collaborations with amazing singers. To heighten the unconventional nature, it appears that the artist and composer behind the album utilized a DIY instrument and invention of his, called the “Eharp.”

The album has a metallic flavor into it, airs of silver and gold blowing in your face, caressing your hair with their cold and pointy melodies and rhythms.

The album opens with a musical piece featuring a harp and employs conventional rhythmic and timbral devices commonly found in electronic and experimental music. However, in the second song, “Fly Black Stork,” the album delves into its most abstract and rhythmic ideas. The energy persists in tracks 3 and 4, now with collaborations from singers like Eden Samara and Julia Holter.

As you dive deeper, it becomes increasingly easier to digest, introducing a diverse array of singers and even softer moments featuring sweet and mellow string instrument motifs (Listen to “Coppertone Elegy” and “Years in the Hospital”). In the final pieces, the inventive shifts from a rhythmic approach to wild melodic ideas (Check out: “Goldwood Feat Elke Wardla”).

For a psychedelic, meditative, rhythm-rich experience, I highly recommend giving this album a try.

Review: Lucky Daye - 'That's You'

by Peter Källman
in Reviews

Lucky Daye has been one of my favorite names to tell everybody I know about, so I am always delighted to hear a new release. Here are some sentiments I agree with following the release of his latest song "That’s You."

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Review: Planet Earth III Suite - Hans Zimmer, Jacob Shea, Sara Barone

by Peter Källman
in Reviews

This suite from the ongoing Planet Earth III is very strong. It is an epic piece featuring soaring background choirs, strong majestic horns, clacky metallic percussion, decisive rhythmic patterns and a nice melodic path to follow with your ears. All in all it paints a lovely picture, even without the visuals.

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A critique of how we criticize technology and innovation: A review of Aesop's “Integrated Tech Solutions”

by Martín Cacho
in Reviews

When someone brings up the theme of "technology" or “innovation” what springs to mind? What did your imagination conjure when you read the title of the album I'm about to review? AI? Brain-controlled, keyboardless computers? Cars rocketed up to mars? If someone claims that Aesop's latest album offers “a compelling critique of consumerism and technocracy culture”, what do you picture? a new chapter of Black Mirror or a continuation of Brave New World?

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Review: EARTHSIDE - Let The Truth Speak

by Martín Cacho
in Reviews

I don't write about metal groups very often as I'm not a regular listener of the genre, and impressing me in that realm is a tough feat. Often, I encounter bands relying heavily on strong political messages and disturbing imagery in order to get visibility and attention from young listeners, yet with little investment in their musical craftsmanship to match that intensity. 

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Review: Wednesday Campanella's Single “Shotoku Taishi”

by Martín Cacho
in Reviews

I'll keep it fair in this review because I have to admit, my introduction to Wednesday Campanella came from Oorutaichi's cover of their song “Sand Castle.” Both versions of “Sand Castle” rank high in my all-time favorite songs collection. When I stumbled upon that track, I explored other tunes from the same album “Galapagos” and got hooked on their super creative take on pop. Songs like “Picasso”, “The Bamboo Princess” and “Melos” bring in the usual pop language, orchestral tricks, and bits from the electronic music scene. But here's the kicker—they throw in these intricate and interesting polyphonic melodic ideas, superb production, and a balanced blend of traditional Japanese instruments with synthesizers and EDM-like sounds, making it all sound unique.

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Review: André 3000´s New Blue Sun

by Martín Cacho
in Reviews

Something utterly unexpected has just occurred: André 300, the beloved rap legend from the Outkast duo, finally released a solo album yesterday, after more than seventeen years. What's even more surprising is that the album is anything but rap.

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Review: Terrace Martin and Alex Isley´s “I left my heart in Ladera”

by Martín Cacho
in Reviews

As we draw the curtains on this year, we're immersed in an array of enthralling collaborations. This time, the spotlight shines on the EP “I Left My Heart in Ladera,” which was released by the American artists Martin Terrace and Alex Isley. These two artists have a long and interesting collaboration history but this release also benefits from the support of the multi-award-winning producer, composer, and arranger Robert Klasper.

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Review: Duran Duran Get Dark with Danse Macabre and it Works

by Harley Houghton
in Reviews

You read that title right, folks. British new wavers Duran Duran have broken their mould and gone in a completely different direction on their latest album. We have grown used to them being quirky, but we have never seen them go goth before. And that is exactly what they have done.

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Review: Goodbye Evergreen - Sufjan Stevens

by Jordan
in Reviews

On October 6th, Sufjan Stevens released his 9th studio album entitled, Javelin. This album is dedicated to his late partner and best friend, Evans Richardson. Though the album is filled to the brim with themes of grief and loss, the song that most directly discusses Stevens’ experience with it, is the album’s intro, “Goodbye Evergreen”. 

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Review: Ed Sheeran’s “Autumn Variations”

by Harley Houghton
in Reviews

Ed Sheeran is not just multi-talented; he is also one of the hardest-working musicians around today. After releasing his last album, “Subtract,” he is back a mere four months later, gifting us with another release.

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