H E X - HEX

 

H E X are from Geneva, Switzerland.  Their self-titled debut released in 2018, and I've frequently re-visited the four tracks that are a brilliant blend of electronic/post-rock/industrial stylings.  I'd first heard of the band through my admiration for Shora, whom years after their defunct status announced a new project featuring the former guitarist (H E X).  

Shora was a hardcore/noisy screamo group also from Switzerland who relatively flew under the radar, even while having a split record with noise staple Merzbow.  The final album in Shora's lifespan was a departure from their previous records -- the singer had left the group making concluding 'Malval' a foray into instrumental, electronic-driven post-rock.  While also massively overlooked in post-rock circles, the debut album from H E X seems to have in large part picked up the reins of where Shora left off.  The difference being that H E X has a bit of a darker edge, occupying the same futuristic electronic space but in a much more grimy and industrial landscape and sound.  There are flashes of vocals throughout the four tracks, great drumming, and overall just a cool mixture of electronic and industrial tropes within the frame of guitar-backed post-rock nuances.

The vinyl and CD/merch can be found on Hummus Records, who recently acquired publishing rights and released Shora's two hardcore records (minus their demo) on vinyl for the first time ever.  The digital album is also available on Bandcamp as a name-your-price release, but definitely show them some love if you like what you hear.  I have a hunch you will, as like Shora they are definitely fiercely unique to their associated genres.

N0V3l - NON-FICTION

"N0V3L’s debut full-length, NON-FICTION, comprises 11 tracks that function as a treatise on modern existence and the perverse parameters within which it’s experienced. It’s a collection of agile, carefully-constructed post-punk, new wave, funk, and garage rock that’s been zapped and warped by an opioid overdose crisis, mental illness, populism, and the merciless onward march of time. Intimate sadnesses and structural violences are blurred to the jagged quirk of sharp guitars, commanding bass, acrid saxophone, and mournful keys, all propelled ever forward by nimble drumming. It’s dark and occasionally danceable, a macabre late-capitalist disco under a pall of confusion.

NON-FICTION was written between 2017 and 2020, and recorded on a Tascam-388 in the band’s since-torn-down rental home. Bryce Cloghesy (Military Genius, Crack Cloud) produced and mixed the record, which trades in the first EP’s martial rigidity for a broader approach to actualizing the band’s tensions. The Vancouver tear-down, previously the band’s headquarters for producing music, videos, and clothing, was slowly evacuated, as members moved out in advance of the inevitable; another casualty of Vancouver’s merciless housing market. N0V3L, once a concentrated machine, is now spread across the western province of British Columbia." - Bandcamp

Cool post-punk/new-wave album from Vancouver, B.C.  Have especially had the single "FALLING IN LINE" on repeat listens, but the entire album is solid.  The album released in May, but only a few tracks are available for preview on their Bandcamp/YT, but I imagine the whole album can be listened to on Spotify.  Only two current vinyl copies remain if looking for a physical copy.

Bandcamp

Maya B - B[1]

 

Maya B is a promising singer/songwriter (artist) and multi instrumentalist based in Los Angeles, California.  Her debut EP 'B[1]' released in 2021 as a pop/R&B hybrid that stands out for its lyricism and smooth voice.  The seven tracks touch on self-empowerment from within, as opposed to achieving it through the belittling or bravado over other people, and likewise rising above those negative projections (the metaphorical "Balloon Bitch").  Accompanied by other topics like the often fakeness surrounding social media and materialism, the subject matter is a refreshing listen, administered by an accessible and honest voice.

Listen/Download

TORIENA - PURE FIRE

 

TORIENA (Fujimoto Sae) is a chiptune-based artist from Kyoto, Japan.  She has been releasing albums since 2012, among a myriad of compilations, some of which she herself distributed as the co-owner of Mad Milky Records in Tokyo (supposedly the very first chiptune label in Japan).  Like her artist/co-owner counterpart NNNNNNNNNN, she primarily composes her music using LSDj through the interface of a Nintendo Game Boy.  She has had commercial success in Japan as well, contributing to the Team Sonic Racing soundtrack, anime, and literal commercials.

Her latest album 'PURE FIRE' is more hardcore EDM with strong chiptune overtones, accompanied by TORIENA's own vocals.  Admittedly this isn't a musical realm I'm too involved or familiar with (about the only chiptune artist I can reference is early Anamanaguchi), but after running the album back a second time it really started to click for me as being something unique and enjoyable, further appreciated I think by recognizing the means in which it was created.  As far as I can tell this album and potentially her entire catalogue is only available to purchase digitally, which might be apt when you hear her music.

Digital

KASHIWA Daisuke - program music III

ALL (half) CAPS

KASHIWA Daisuke is back with the third entry in his 'program music' series of albums, typically and consistently as around one hour single tracks forming a similar themed running compilation.  Now that he is on Virgin Babylon Records aside founder Maeda Katsuhiko (world's end girlfriend), it seems he's returned a bit to his post-rock roots of playing guitar, instead of his long running stretch playing keys (on this album handled by Hiromi Kurosaki).  Daisuke still handles the knobs and production, and he describes the newest entry as "expressing everything in my musical activities so far": glitch, electronic, classical, post-rock, et al.  In some sense it almost appears like Maeda Katsuhiko's guitar tendencies of world's end girlfriend have rubbed off on Daisuke and vice versa with Daisuke's pension for glitchy electronics becoming more apparent for Maeda since his inclusion to the label.  

I need to dive back into 'program music II' to see where it fits in the middle, but my first listen of 'program music III' immediately brought me back into the first time listening to 'program music I', in a sense like two trains in opposite directions but parallel.  The track on this entry is called "sons", and a classical slow build turns into something brilliant around 13 minutes in, where his signature sound of these compilations becomes a bewildering and enthralling mix of electronic and classical, punctuated by a smattering of chopped and tagalong aesthetic vocals throughout.  The song lets off of the pedal (literally) for another comedown before entering into a concluding romp that even features a foray into rapping (by SHADI).  

The digital track is $16 dollars which might seem high, and it being included with the CD version for $19 may also seem high, but I would be surprised if anyone would be disappointed in that end result trade off.  Anyone not familiar with his catalogue, I'd definitely encourage and endorse seeking out his music; his works are as excellent as they are unique, even to his own albums.

Digital/CD

The Mars Volta - Landscape Tantrums

On April 23rd The Mars Volta released the box set 'La Realidad De Los Sueños' ("The Reality of Dreams"), the first ever full vinyl release of their current (winkwinknudgenudge) catalogue.  The box set was limited to 5000 copies at $429 pre-orders and was sold out instantly via distributor Cloud Hill Recordings.  Along with a few lesser discovered tracks, and a photo book compilation, arguably the most intriguing part of the package for longtime fans was the inclusion of 'Landscape Tantrums', annotated on the cover as "Unfinished Original Recordings of De-Loused in the Comatorium" [2002], which was the band's first full-length album.

I presume Rick Rubin wasn't involved yet during these original recordings, but tracks "Tira Me A Las Arañas" and "Cicatriz ESP" are absent, and the sound is markedly different from the final product (and as a minor mention, "Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" jumped from track 3 to track 1 on this version).  Entire sections are different, most notably the stylings and often lyrics of front man Cedric Bixler-Zavala, which the cover makes clear as "Vocals Unfinished"; the biggest obvious difference is that the thundering conclusion of "Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt" is completely instrumental aside the final few seconds.  It's pretty interesting to hear the metamorphosis the entire album took compared to these recordings, and also how much of it was already intact before finishing production.  Translated to an auditory sense, it feels like the equivalent of staring into a gem from a different angle.

The band released 'Landscape Tantrums' on digital streaming formats the same day, which I believe is only available for actual purchase/download on iTunes.

Digital

Physical/Box Set

...eBay?

Genghis Tron - Dream Weapon

Genghis Tron has resurfaced with 'Dream Weapon', their first studio release since the critically acclaimed 'Board Up the House' in 2008.  The band was on hiatus, and has re-emerged with new members and a noticeably new sound.  Original member Mookie Singerman (vocals, keys) is no longer with the group, and his effects-laced frenetic screams and buzzing keys have been replaced by the high-pitched singing of Tony Wolski.  The band also has done away with their percussion being implemented by drum machines, bringing in the talents of Nick Yacyshyn (Sumac/Baptists), and the revered/signature production of Kurt Ballou (Converge).  While 2/3 of the original members (Hamilton Jordan, Michael Sochynsky) are still here, the band undeniably has moved into a different direction; the longest track (and personal favorite) "Ritual Circle" really stands as the only track you could pick out of the album as something akin to their old styles, if not only for featuring the only scream on the album (**There's some on "Dream Weapon" as well).

Would recommend checking this out whether old fans or new to the band, the production of Ballou (whom also produced their previous two albums) and the drum talents of Nick Yacyshyn alone make this worth checking out, on top of what everyone else brings to the table.  I liked the singing of Tony Wolski, even if I anticipated track-to-track a re-kindling of their old hardcore sound that never really arrived.  In the band's own words their new album is "more meditative, hypnotic, and maybe psychedelic".  Taking it for what it is and not what it was, this is a great album and arguably is as unique as the sound the group became known for; my only minor gripe is that the vocals start to feel too familiar by the album's end, but a lot of that is probably magnified by looking standing back and not forward in the present. 

Bandcamp

Writhing Squares - Chart for the Solution

Writhing Squares are a two piece from Philadelphia consisting of Kevin Nickles (sax, flute, clarinet, synth, vocals) and Daniel Provenzano (bass, synth, percussion, vocals).  Their latest release 'Chart for the Solution' is like if you put prog/punk/psych into a low-fi blender with a strong aftertaste of brass.  While sounding like a conglomerate of styles mostly from the 70's this album is certainly unique in how their (many) influences come together.  The album has a real "space" vibe with the synths and retro production, but it sounds like a deranged punker escaped the psych rock spaceship's holding cell, with lots of surprises sprinkled throughout.  

This is the first release I've heard from these guys but they have multiple recordings as far back as 2013...so I'm curious to see how they arrived at such interesting intersections.

Bandcamp

surut - Surut

 

surut is self-described "blackened experimental hardcore" from Tampere, Finland.  The five-piece made an impressive debut with their 2020 self-titled album 'Surut'.  The four-track release clocks in around 20 minutes, showcasing an impressive range with an all around solid dynamic and consistency.  Fans of screamo/post metal will likely find this a gem and worth checking back on.

Digital

Physical/Merch

Ocean Wisdom - Stay Sane

Latest album from Ocean Wisdom, released 3/26.  Can get it on vinyl or signed CD from his website, in a variety of bundles or digital.  'Stay Sane' sounds a lot more mellow compared to his previous releases on a surface level, but underneath exhibits a deeper understanding and scope lyrically.  The concluding track "Can't Breathe Either" is the exclamation point statement on a more subdued yet refined great album.

Links

'68 - Give One Take One

Josh Scogin & Nikko Yamada

'68 are a duo from Atlanta, Georgia consisting of Josh Scogin (guitar, vocals) & Nikko Yamada (drums), who replaced Michael McClellan after the group's first two albums.  The band formed after the dissolvement of Scogin's former metalcore band The Chariot, which followed Scogin's early exit as an original member of Norma Jean (who are still releasing albums with none of the founding members remaining).

While the prior two projects were often compared to bands like Botch, '68 sounds like if Kurt Cobain and Dave Grohl decided they didn't need a bass player.  This dynamic might have changed with Yamada on board, as I'm speaking from my only foray into the group with their 2014 debut 'In Humor & Sadness'.  Impressively, they managed to fool me into thinking the debut was with a full band, as a band like Lightning Bolt is a pretty good comparison for the amount of chaos (and intricacy) '68 generates as a duo.

'Give One Take One' released today as the band's third full length, and I'm excited to see how much their sound has changed with Yamada on drums, and whether or not Scogin could still fool people he has unreleased Nirvana material.  Light joking aside, Scogin has proved he has a pretty impressive palette of creative skills, and I would bet with this new release that trajectory is still booming.

Bandcamp

Moderator - Midnight Madness

 

Moderator is an Athens, Greece based instrumentalist with a hip/trip hop skeleton, fusing everything from psychedelic to soul on the surface.  I'd first heard of him through his 2013 album 'The Trip' -- drawn in by the album's artwork, similarly how I've been reintroduced to the newest 2021 release 'Midnight Madness'.  His latest is a little darker tinged than I remembered his sound being, with the all encompassing takeaway being that this is simply a 'cool' sounding record; whatever your background of preferences are I think you'll find it difficult to not vibe out to the big beats and polished production.  The entire album just sounds massive and layered and that impact feels immediate and fluid throughout.

'Midnight Madness' and all of his digital releases on his bandcamp go for $1 a piece, which is somewhere between a steal and a gift.  Due to the influx of demand more vinyl won't be available until June, but it seems like a good idea with the artwork put together by 'Irefaels'.

Bandcamp

moderatormusic.com