Rapid Fire Reviews – 8/3
Posted: by Sean Gonzalez
Falling – Out Of Sight
Falling’s expertise is expanding the realm of what ‘metal’ or ‘doom’ rock can be. Throughout their 46 minutes the Minneapolis trio find multiple ways to attack the listener’s ears. Their grip on Out Of Sight is extremely tight, relieving a sense of dread that exists within the band’s cathartic music. Falling’s greatest attribute is their knowing how to collect their thoughts into dark textures, not always having to scream their heads off. Even the times they lay back on the straightforwards of metal music — “The Bedroom” — their song still gives off an ominous vibe. A simple beat is machine gunned out with plenty of distractions surrounding — much like how grief can surround even the comfiest of places. The song moves into a sweeping, over the top reflective penance in “Doesn’t Anybody Feel That?” In fact, it’s hard to even label Out Of Sight a pure metal record. It’s very much a raw head space of feelings that weigh us down, stripped down and built into eclectic measures of intense music. It puts a listener on edge, which is how it feels to be trapped by one’s darkest pleasures. It’s a distinctive tone to Falling that gives their music a slight grip on you, even if it is entirely eclectic.
And that is where some may not enjoy it, but that’s what separates so much of this ruination embedded into sound offers. It’s not meant to be pretty in the absolute slightest. It’s supposed to wrestle one’s demons and win. Out Of Sight touches on that with the epic “I Can’t See.” Give it a spin.
Score: 7/10
Hollow Sunshine – Bible Sea
Hollow Sunshine have completely flipped their music on themselves with Bible Sea. Instead of a natural rock record, Bible Sea emanates a cold distillery of spiritual armadas that shine with 808 sequences and electronica galore. Over the top of the sometimes disturbing pulses (“Masks Of Saturn”) there is this contrasting vocal delivery that’s much warmer. Its like the natural ebb and flow of a vast wasteland. At the same time there is this horrific depth full of loneliness, but it feels nice to be the hell away from everything. It’s a distinctive feeling of solitary confinement that begs for you to search or any glimpse of your spirit; very much what Hollow Sunshine sought to produce in your feelings. The record’s 18 minutes vibrate one’s emotional curiosity, trying to sort out what feels ‘right’ vs. ‘necessary’ in one’s life. It’s like being trapped in this robotic void of day to day, which is where the sampling feels scarring. Bible Sea is a sonic relief to float away with, and I’ll be damned if the extensive bits of calm don’t find a way of seducing your anxiety to a standstill.
Score: 7.75/10
The I.L.Y.’s – Scum With Boundaries
This is without a doubt one of my favorite releases coming from the corner of already fantastic Death Grips’ projects. I don’t even know what The I.L.Y.’s really is, but it’s processed feel is erratic; to the point where it showcases the beauty of the raw headspace that surrounds the music. Scum With Boundaries is a touching record filled with absolutely odd deliveries. The opener “Disastrous Look” is a mess of disfigured samplings with an oddly soothing melody. Yet, “Stop Yelling In The Museum” is a noisy bit punching with a quick paced beat and punk like textures. Yet, throughout all the mind boggling shit there is this beautifully rich progressions bursting through the mix. It’s a fucking song to slam down beach drinks while staring at the ocean, or maybe a song to just fucking lose your shit and yell in the museum. “She’s A Genius” is like the 80’s combined into a tasteful rock song, wrapped into some odd beeps and boops. The chorus is a mechanical anthem of shout along lyrics. It’s like the feeling of falling in love with someone rather ‘out of your norm.’ And by gosh, I fell in love with this project. Even when the project calls for unrelenting visceral screams (”I’m Gonna Have Sex”), it’s a mesh of corruptibly charming melodies warped into a symphonic orgy. Scum With Boundaries is fucking weird, and I’m right there with it.
Score: 8.5/10
