Iglooghost - Göd Grid
Neo Wax Bloom

 

Background:

Brainfeeder records have always been an amazing source of experimental and left-field music, and Iglooghost is no acceptation. Banking off of the current underground music trends of the last several years, and placing it not-so-neatly into a breakcore framework, Iglooghost has managed to carve out a niche and "bust off the grid" as he would put it.

Sonically expressive and diverse, Iglooghost blends elements of PC Music, vaporwave, chiptune, wonky, "made for kids" type music, and strangely packs them into an "EDM banger" type of sound. There are even times where i feel a bit of a nightcore vibe densely packed in the mix.

Neo Wax Bloom is Iglooghost's latest release, and in my opinion, is his strongest showing yet. Taking the harsh gritty and uneven style of his original works and reshaping them into a more accessible format makes this album much more enjoyable to me, and there is more room to appreciate the interesting timbre's he plays with throughout the songs. This is not meant for everyone, and the harshness may turn some people away, but for those who are capable of withstanding his unyielding onslaught of sound, I would say check it out. This concept should not work, but somehow Iglooghost is able to pull it off and present a cohesive and finely tuned beast. 

Review:

I'm not going to lie, there is something special and interesting about every track on this album, so I had a hard time making a choice of song for review. I could have picked one of his more known songs from here, including Bug Thief, Solar Blade, or Peanut Choker, but I found myself drifting towards the deeper cuts.

I ended up choosing Göd Grid, simply for the fact that it is the closer to the album, and I think the overlying message of Iglooghost's music is summed up in this track. The entirety of his music seems to be wanting to expand off of his grid, outside the realms of reality, which really helps the listener understand how we came to this album and sound.

As the track starts already there is more room and space present to allow the listener to really take in the textures and polished production of the instrumentals. There is a sweeping vocal melody throughout the track which takes manipulated vocal samples, pitched higher and lower, and orchestras them together into a cohesive "chorus", accompanied by an eastern influenced instrumental. As the track progresses it continues to branch further and further into a chaotic place. This track truly feels like the album has been building up to this point, and we are at the climax of the album, complete with cinematic and orchestral feeling. This song is much more enjoyable as an album closer rather than a standalone track, but is still capable of standing on its own.

Frustrated, angry, manic, and childish, are all words I would use to describe the feeling I experience from this music. I believe that IG feels this way due to his inability to expand into another plain of existence, which could be a metaphor for his life, and other peoples lives as well, who feel that they are stuck somewhere and there is no way out. Göd Grid seems like the perfect period to place on the proverbial sentence that Iglooghost presents. I will definitely be revisiting when my mood is right to share in Iglooghosts bizarre world.

-TruffleDino

Lil Ugly Mane - Serious Shit
Mista Thug Isolation (2012)

Background:


Lil Ugly Mane is one of those artists that completely flew under my radar in 2012. I remember seeing the great album artwork here and there and didn't pay any mind, until a few years ago. Serious Shit was the first song I had ever heard from this artists, and I was blown away by the style. Before cloud rap and emotion rap started to show some mainstream interest, Lil Ugly Mane was creating some truly savage tracks, around 5 years before the genre blew up. i would go so far as to even credit him for influencing modern hip-hop today with many of the visual and emotional elements present, although done in a much more exhilarating way here.

The visuals do draw some elements from late 90s to early 00s rap artists, although in a bastardized sense. Taking the overly-machismo style and infusing it with grief, death, and depression. The lyrical content feels similar as his sharply dark rhetoric gleans through on every track. I would also recommend his series of "3 sided tape" albums, that take his style into more experimental territory.




Review:

The beginning of this track could be mistaken for some late night jazz that you would hear strolling into a NY bar. As the listener starts to paint a picture of the track, it changes directions quickly, with moody expressive instrumentals that lead into booming the booming chorus. The instrument sample is highly manipulated and gives an eerie sense as well as an impassioned background that echos throughout the track and feels perfect for the vocals.

The vocal delivery is slow riding, but heavy, allowing the listener feel the full impact of the lyrical content, and emotional expression in the track. Throughout the track the listener is bombarded with the sharply-tongued statements that help the listener peer into the internal world of Lil Ugly Mane. It is really amazing how you see all sides of the artist, as he stays in a machismo frame of mind, while delivering lines that are both confident and self-destructive at the same time.

The groove in this song is perfect for the dark and gloomy mood and is truly infectious. I do feel some light influences from the 2012 musical trends, possibly some vaporwave influences (more heavily present in other tracks on this album), although the song does feel strongly present on its own and is only complimented by the light influences, instead of feeling derivative.

I will definatley be returning to this track, and artist in the future, as his material is always interestingly varied. I would say to pop this album in, allow yourself to slip into the eerie mood, sit back, and enjoy




-TruffleDino

Death's Dynamic Shroud.wmv - ✰Rare Emoji Collection✰
CLASSROOM SEXXTAPE (2016)

Backgroud:


If you have never heard of vaporwave then there is a good chance you may be completely confused and slightly perturbed right now. It may be safe to say that we should save an overarching "vaporwave" discussion for another day, although maybe some general information may be helpful for the uninitiated. I would recommend listening to some youtube vaporwave mixes to at least have an idea of what this genre is all about.

Death's Dynamic Shroud.wmv is one of those artists that only a true fan of vaporwave would recognize, unlike all of the albums that are repeated ad nauseam. For that reason I refuse to mention any of the 3-5 albums that are relevant to non-vaporwave enthusiast (as well as some vaporewave enthusiasts), as I find it tiring.
 
2016 was a very different time for vaporwave, as we saw the genre move towards a more experimental and aggressive route. On Death's Dynamic Shroud.wmv's previous album "I'll Try Living Like This" the current of vaporwave shifted and all of the horrible dark and disturbing influences of the genre began to show, as if the genre vomited all of the repressed anxiety it was holding, becoming more like a German Expressionism piece rather than what it stood for in 2011.


Review:

This is one of those rare instances where I would say to watch the music video as an accompaniment to this song, as it provides the perfect backdrop to accentuate the feelings present in the piece.


The building tension in this song goes on for an extended period of time, only to be met 2 minutes or so in by an even more tense and disturbing vocal sample, and a massive orchestral drop that makes your heart drop. The only sense of relief given throughout the tracks stands boldly all the way in to the 2:37 mark, as the listener is greeted by a digitized vocal melody that sits over the musical cacophony that has been building up throughout the track. As the track continues more melodic elements are introduced until the final closing of the track.

I would describe this era of dds.wmv music, and this track in particular, somewhere between a horror soundtrack, and an orchestra, while all the time maintaining a grandiose flair. This style of music is not for the faint of heart, or the uninitiated. Not easy to listen to or experience, but entirely worth the experience if you are prepared for it.


-TruffleDino

Baroness - Take My Bones Away
Yellow & Green (2012)

Background:



Slow and heavy wins the race. That should be the mantra for our sludge metal band in today's review. Baroness has gained some notoriety in the sludge metal scene, not hiding their heavy Mastodon influences. However, after several full length albums, we have seen the band move closer to finding their own identity, and drawing more from a alternative rock / stoner rock sound.

It is also worth mentioning the stellar artwork that always accompanies Baroness' music. Particularly for our album here, Yellow & Green, which is further complimented by the back cover of the album (not posted here).


Review:


As the song begins, the listener is immediately greeted with a satisfyingly heavy and fuzzy riff that chugs directly into the main chorus of the song. The chorus is complimented by a stunning vocal melody, that feels raw and passionate, but still holds a pop/rock sensibility, that is highly melodic. The song keeps to a standard rock song structure, complete with an impassioned guitar solo towards the end of the track. This helps to draw more attention to the vocal chorus and heavy riffs (which can stand entirely on their own, and need no interuptions).

Take My Bones Away has a slightly more "radio friendly" accessibility, that is meant to be the albums stand out song for the album, and really set the mood for the entire album. The production quality is some of the best for the genre, and helps the listener truly appreciate the fuzzy guitar riffs throughout.

I will definitely be coming back to this song, and entire album, again and again until Baroness' next release.



- TruffleDino

Savant - Legacy
Orakel (2013)

  

                               

Background:


Ah, Savant! Truly an interesting artist, gaining much of his success through internet exposure, more as an independent artist rather then as and EDM artist. Savant over the years has gained a cult following, and for good reason.

While not as popular as his album ISM, for me this album stands as his best release since ISM, which is saying a lot based off of his very extensive discography. While sometimes a bit messy in delivery (from a sound design and mixing perspective), the diversity of musical elements and motifs in his music keep me coming back for more.


Review:


As soon as Legacy begins the listener is introduced to some of the signature sounds of a Savant track. An electronically orchestral intro soon followed by a plethora of pitch shifted vocals. The highly pitched (slightly manic) vocal melody is an accompaniment throughout the entire piece, in the forefront of the mix.

The emotional buildup in the intro is appropriately proceeded by a rhythmically delayed bass drop which is on-point, sharp, and satisfying. It is also worth mentioning the timbre of the bass is more in the vein of a keyboard synth, which is a unique take on the classic dubstep bassline. There is no shortage, though, of the classic electro-dubstep bass that Savant is known for, which is also sprinkled throughout the track in different sections, more subdued than usual, but skillfully placed.

Throughout the song the listener is also met with bright chiptune-esque bursts of sound scattered throughout, as well as classic Savant motifs, such as the bouncy "tarantella" sounding rhythms (all the while staying within a elecro-funk framework).

Overall, one of my personal favorites from Savant. A highly energetic track that I will be returning to in the future.


-TruffleDino

Hello Everyone!,

Welcome to Pulse Music Journal, a daily music review blog.

I will be giving my opinions on one song a day, sometimes picked from my personal collection, to do a "deep dive" into the background of the song, its influences, what it influenced and its significance today (and of course my personal opinion!).

This blog will showcase music from all time periods, and all genre's. Popularity is not a prerequisite for a review here, I would gladly review a song that only has 200 listens!

I hope for this to be an exciting exploration, and I will take suggestions from you guys as well!


-TruffleDino