Live Review: Alcest at San Fran, Wellington

Alcest

w/ Hiboux and Into Orbit

San Fran, Wellington

Sunday 23 April 2017

Teenage Memories

When I was 18 I lived with the guitarist of Wellington hardcore band Declaration AD. Always up for adventures, I jumped at the chance when the band offered me the opportunity to come along with them on their first tour. I took a few days off work and we all drove up to Auckland and Hamilton in a hired van. The first night they played in Auckland at Zeal West. The following night they played a venue called Void in Hamilton.

I contacted a girl I used to work with who was then living in the nearby town of Cambridge. Turns out she was also going to be in Hamilton that night, and she wanted me to come watch some other bands with her and have a catch up.It was an obvious choice. I seldom saw my friend from Nelson, but could watch my flatmate’s band any weekend.

After helping to carry some speakers and amps into Void, I promptly ditched my mates to head to another venue. I don’t remember the name of the venue, but I do remember that it was below ground level. As I entered I was greeted by mesmerizing primal music of an instrumental trio. I liked them, but was confused to see that they had no singer. I was a fan of 65daysofstatic and maybeshewill at the time, but wasn’t yet aware of what post-rock was. Years later I made the connection that the hypnotic trio was in fact Jakob, who are now one of my favourite bands.

I met up with my friend and her boyfriend and we had a great night. The headliner was an Aussie prog-rock band called Butterfly Effect, which was fitting because my friend and I both shared a love for the similar sounding band Karnivool. That night was the first time I had ever had shots at a bar. Before then we had always sculled spirits at teenage house parties.

For some reason the Alcest show tonight had me thinking back to that night in Hamilton – probably because the lineup consisted of brilliant post-rock acts opening for equally awesome prog-rock.

Hiboux and Into Orbit

Having recently reviewed albums from both the opening acts, Hiboux and Into Orbit, I was looking forward to seeing them again in a live setting.

Hiboux were just as great as when I saw them open for Tortoise, and I enjoyed watching them even more now that I knew their songs. As a relatively big band (five members), they know how to do effective layering, and they do it with finesse. Gentle picking, light flourishes on the cymbals, subtle build-ups. But they also know how to give it a nudge, with distortion and washy cymbals and plenty of energy. A great choice for the opening act.

Despite being a mere two-piece, Into Orbit were still able to command the stage as well as Hiboux. Drawing almost entirely from their latest album Unearthing, they performed a monstrous set. Guitarist Paul Stewart was doing a great Cousin It impression, hiding under a long mop of hair. The tones and noises he can elicit from his guitar are other-worldly. And I’ve always loved watching Ian Moir smashing away at the drums with such force and precision.

I found that with both bands, I had a newfound appreciation for the songs that I had reviewed. It was neat to notice how they played with the dials on the effects pedals, or added parts to craft the atmospheric music we had come to experience.

Alcest.

Ironically enough, it seemed that I was one of the few present who hadn’t come to see Alcest. Don’t get me wrong – I wanted to see them – but I wasn’t actually familiar with their music. If anything, I came based on the recommendations of the support acts.

I had streamed some songs from Alcest’s latest album, Kodama a few times, but in truth was just hoping to be pleasantly surprised. And I was. In spades.

I had expected post-rock that sits on the heavier end of the spectrum. And that’s what I got… in a way… but the band also sat well within what I consider prog-rock.

For one, they had singing. Not something you often find in post-rock. But the singing was fantastic. Don’t ask me what they were singing about. I don’t speak French. But I do know that the singing and the harmonies were excellent.

And they were heavy like I expected, but at the same time had a sweetness to their sound. Serene picking and great vocals added a balance to their sound. I guess that the terms black metal and blackgaze used in their description had me expecting some unpleasant, but I was simply in love with their sound.

The four Frenchmen all sported long hair, and circulation-restricting skinny jeans. Frontman Neige had a bright white t-shirt and a peacock feather necklace around his neck, while the other three all wore obligatory dark colours. They clearly enjoyed their time performing, shyly offering thanks at times throughout the set with coy smiles. It was great to see their long hair whipping around as they grooved along to their own music.

And I can understand why they danced. It really rocked. It was like an arena metal gig, with brilliant guitar solos and pummeling double kick and infectious beats from the drums. I didn’t know any of the songs but I felt pulled to dance along to many of the songs. It me of some recent shows I’d attended like Caligula’s Horse and Opeth, and the aforementioned Butterfly Effect show from when I was a teenager.

All in all it was a fantastic night. Three incredibly talented bands putting on brilliant shows. I was surprised at how packed the venue was considering that it was late on a Sunday night, but after being blown away by Alcest’s set I can understand why.

Joseph James

Interview with Jan-Dirk Platek (We Deserve This)

Jan Platek is a German musician best known for his solo post-rock project We Deserve This. He is widely known within the international post-rock scene due to his prolific output, strong social media presence and of course, great musical talent. As an independent artist and strong supporter of the global music scene, Platek is exactly the type of musician we want to support here at Will Not Fade.

Following my review of Platek’s recent We Deserve This album Smile, I decided that I wanted to learn more about him. I emailed Platek at his home in Germany to ask about his various projects, and to learn more about what inspires and motivates him. It gave me great insight into a man who loves creating and consuming music on a voracious level.

English is not Platek’s native tongue, so his replies were not all entirely grammatically accurate. I’ve decided to leave them as is however, because I think it is important to let him present his views uncensored and unadulterated.

How are you Jan?

I`m feeling good right now, don`t know how long this feeling lasts…but thanks for asking.

What do we deserve?

We deserve pleasure, hugs and love. But maybe we also deserve bad things because of our actions. We are living in a strange decade with lots of trouble worldwide. Maybe our, and I mean the western world, behavior and actions will lead us into something really bad. If so, it’s our fault and we deserve it.

You clearly love photography. A lot of your album art features photos that you have taken. Do you plan to use photos for your music when you take them?

I`m starting with photography back in early 2015. My wife Karo is a really good photographer so she taught me the basics of a camera. After that I bought my first Fuji Camera. At first, it was difficult to understand all the settings but after I figured it out it was really great. I love taking photos, it`s like living in another world. It`s almost like being a child with a funny toy (the camera). And you know, I love playing…It´s almost like producing music, the same procedure. First you take a raw picture and after it you edit the photo on the computer. Editing photos is like mixing/mastering an audio track. Sometimes I take photos because I can imagine them as a cover artwork for my music. But mostly I find edited pics on my laptop thinking “that would be an awesome artwork“.

I see themes of nature and geometry throughout your album art. Is this deliberate?

Yeah I think so…geometry is a part of our nature. Have you ever seen a little snowflake with its tiny, geometric structures? It`s amazing. I think geometry is a part of our life.

I saw that you were fairly outspoken in response to Easter recently. Do you think that instrumental music can be (or should be) political?

That was on my private account and not on any of my pages on Facebook. Music is not a good tool to transport political views. It`s not my business to tell people political views. I`m pro gay, pro refugees, pro nature – more left-wing than right-wing. I don’t believe in god or in any religion. But does my views really count? Does anyone care about what Jan Platek thinks or believes? I don`t think so. I`m just a musician who wants to create music.

Is there meaning behind the eye with the teardrop logo? Do you ever try writing upbeat or cheerful music?

Yes, there is a meaning in the logo…but I don`t want to tell you which meaning. It`s my secret.

And yes, I often tried to write upbeat and cheerful music but I always failed. There are maybe five or six songs that I never released.These songs sound like Pennywise or Bad Religion with a little Billy Talent touch…I`m not sure if I will ever release these tracks. I think that vocals would make the songs huge but I`m a really bad singer….

Can you discuss the strengths and weaknesses of being a one-man band.

Hmm, I don`t know. I played in three or four bands as a drummer when I was in my 20`s. It was always a pain in the a** how the creation process worked. So lazy and slow. I think a band is a democratic institution with different interest. It takes a lot of time to create something. Being a one-man band is a lot faster. No one tells me “you have to play the guitar like this“ or “make a drum fill here“. I`m my own dictator. That makes everything much easier.

Some of your tracks are live recordings. Do you prefer live performance or studio work?

That`s a good question. I think I like live performances a little bit more than studio work. It`s a really great feeling to see how the crowd reacts even if they don`t know a single song. Studio work is a lonely thing. Working at night on my songs in the studio space is sometimes depressing. I`m alone with a lot of recorded stems and sometimes I want to talk to someone. I often would like to ask someone if the guitar or the bass is loud enough in the mix. But that`s my own choice, I`m a loner.

I know that you buy a lot of vinyl records, purchase albums on Bandcamp and stream music on Spotify. What medium do you use to listen to most of your music?

CD and the Bandcamp app on my iPhone. I have a Spotify account but that account is mostly for my 7-year-old daughter. She listens to Top 10 Charts Hits most of the time…I`m a vinyl collector, that´s true. But you need time to listen to vinyl in its entirety. I have two little kids so there is not much time to enjoy Vinyl records. Family life is wonderful but also sometimes very hectic.

You have two main projects: We Deserve This and Jan-Dirk Platek. Do you approach each project with different mindsets? I understand that the self-titled work focuses more on ambiance and texture.

My solo work is more piano based stuff with lots of electronics. There are no guitars on these songs. It`s more layed back ambient stuff…WE DESERVE THIS is for the Post-Rock heart that`s beating in me. I love to play the guitar and smash the cymbals on my Tama drum set.

You recently released Convex, which you consider your first strictly ambient album. What prompted this?

I discovered ambient music a little while ago and I really love it. Artist like 36, Tale Of Us or Leandro Fresco really blew me away. At that time I also listened to modern classical stuff. It looks like I´m tired of listening to loud rock music. I need the quiet moments right now. So I thought it would fit perfectly to try an ambient album. The strangest thing is, that I`m really overwhelmed by Convex. I usually don`t listen to my own music after its release date. But Convex is another thing…I play it very often right now. Maybe this is because it`s a complete new direction in my work. I don`t know…

You are incredibly prolific. Why do you drip-feed so many unique singles, as opposed to cultivating albums like most musicians?

I don`t know. Maybe that´s because I`m a child of the 80`s. Back in the days we all bought vinyl 7“ singles with only one or two tracks on it. It was fashion. I feel like a 80`s boy without the hair right now…hahaha.

You make lots of your music available for free. What is your motivation for giving away your music?

I think that my music must be available for everyone for a low price or for free. I want to spread my work as wide as possible. I have a normal day job and I don`t need my music to pay the bills. I just want to spread my creations. That`s it. Some people love this – other people hate the high amount of releases. I don`t care, producing music is like breathing for me and I like to give the people lots of fresh air.

You are signed to Fluttery Records, but release a lot of your work independently through Bandcamp. What arrangement do you have with Fluttery?

I can release albums on Fluttery Records and I also can release Singles/Ep`s/Albums on my own Bandcamp. That`s the deal and Fluttery Records is so kind to let me do my thing. Fluttery Records is the best label for Post-Rock and Ambient music right know. They really love what they`re doing. Most important: There are so many talented artists on that label.

You’ve also just signed to Russian label GS Productions. Why so many record labels?

GS Productions signed Jan-Dirk Platek and Fluttery Records signed We Deserve This. I guess my Jan-Dirk Platek stuff is too “electronic“ for Fluttery Records. I also never asked Fluttery Records to release my “solo“ stuff….

You are one of the top-selling artists on Bandcamp within the postrock genre. Why do you think you have become so successful?

I don`t think that I´m a top-selling artist but a lot of people are listening to We Deserve This. I don`t know how I have become “successful“. Maybe I know how to spam the social networks…like sharing links of my music in different groups and promoting my music links through Twitter and Instagram. I think social networking is the best tool to reach new fans. I also must admit that I only use these social networks for music. Exploring new artists, getting in contact with other artists and listening to new music. That`s the only reason to spend time on social networks: Music.

Your grandfather taught you to play music. What does he think of your music?

He died long before my first release came out. But I guess he would be very proud.

What is your main instrument? I know that you started out as a drummer.

My main instrument is the drum set. But I will take piano lessons this summer. I really love to play piano but I think I need to learn to play it perfectly.

Do you ever feel tempted to go back to using vocals or samples?

Hmm, I`m searching for a female vocalist but it`s hard to find her. If you know someone, please get in touch…

You’ve had a few collaborations over the years. Talk me through how you go about writing with other musicians. Do you meet up with them or use the internet?

Mostly everything is created by using the internet. Up next is a collaboration with the Synth-Wave Artist ADAM FORD. This guy from Italy is so kind, good and talented. I feel honored that he asked me to play on two of his songs. They will appear on his upcoming album Dreamscape. It`s a wonderful synthwave or vaporwave album that sounds simply awesome. I really like collaborations and I think I have to do more in that way. It feels good to be a part of someone`s creations.

You are incredibly supportive of the global post-rock scene. I know members of local bands here in New Zealand who have told me that you bought their records. How do you go about discovering new music?

Mostly on social networks like Facebook or Twitter. There are so many people, bloggers (like you) or artists out there and they keep sharing their favorite stuff. Bandcamp is also one of my favorite sources to discover new artists.

What else have you got planned for We Deserve This?

I guess another ambient release. The response regarding Convex is amazing. I reached many new listeners and lost some post-rockers. I love how ambient music slowed down my heartbeat down while creating Convex. Sounds strange but it felt like I`m in another world. Also, there are currently plans to play live in 2017. Not a tour but a small amount of gigs here in Germany. Last but not least: Thanks for the interview, Will Not Fade is also a good source to explore new artists. Thanks for supporting the underground music scene.

We Deserve This and Jan Platek links:

Bandcamp: https://wedeservethis.bandcamp.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wedeservethisband/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wdtband

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/we-deserve-this

Tumblr: http://wedeservethis.tumblr.com/

Jan-Dirk Platek Bandcamp: https://jan-dirkplatek.bandcamp.com/releases

Jan-Dirk Platek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jandirkplatekmusic/

Jan-Dirk Platek Twitter: https://twitter.com/jan_platek

Joseph James

EP Review: Moon Gravity – Antarctica

It’s late afternoon, before a long weekend. I’ve spent most of my work day switching between Idle Thumbs podcasts and the Rage Against the Machine discography, deciding to listen to both from the start.

Antarctica, a three track EP by Moon Gravity is the perfect antithesis to that. 20 plus minutes of music spread across three tracks, predominantly comprised of drones and soundscapes.
The modulated bass and multi-tracked, almost chant-like vocals on “Nightfall” provides a psychedelic vibe. Repeated bass motifs with a constant rhythm fill in the role normally taken by drums, pushing the song forward at a slow, thoughtful feeling pace.

Track 2, “Snowstorm“ starts with delayed guitar over some repeated drones and builds from there. Motifs are explored, they mutate and are built on, either with different instruments or a new textural element. “Snowstorm“ is evocative of a faraway landscape, like the one pictured on the album artwork. One could easily picture this music being put over time-lapse footage of Aurora Australis or Borealis and being a perfect fit.

The reverberate vocals provide nice additional elements missing from much post-rock music, particularly when used with restraint as they have been here. “Snowstorm“ evolves over its twelve-minute length, the drones make way for drum machines as backing for the guitar motif. The electronic drums feels jarring when first introduced, but quickly feels like an expected part of the toolkit when the bass guitar becomes more prevalent in the mix.

The staples of this genre are all here; plenty of reverb and delay on clean guitars, a really rich and clear bass tone and solid playing. “Purpling” is an example of all of those elements put together quite nicely.

Overall, Antarctica is a solid EP which doesn’t overstay its welcome. The lack of acoustic drums and sparingly used vocals make for an interesting post-rock release that for $3USD there is no reason not to check it out.

Moon Gravity links:

Bandcamp link for Antarctica: https://silbermedia.bandcamp.com/album/antarctica

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moongravitymusic/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPDNEHSaXYMnAquLVdVgN9w

This review was originally posted by Murray Stace at his site Relative Silence

Album Review: Defend The Rhino – Static Breeze

Despite the very pop-punk sounding name, Edmonton’s Defend The Rhino is a solo cinematic instrumental project from singer-songwriter / composer / audio engineer Nathaniel Sutton. With a CV like that, Sutton sounds more than qualified to release an album.

Said album, entitled Static Breeze, is actually the second Defend The Rhino release, featuring ten short tracks that would all fit comfortably within the context of a film.

The album has a somber start ,with soothing waves of soft pads and heartfelt violins, broken up with lingering single piano notes. The second track progresses to using chords on the piano instead of singular notes, and drums add a welcome element.

There are some great elements in said track, “Sound The Alarm”, that are hard to pick up on unless you pay close attention. For example, the bass line at the start is adds awesome feel, but is hidden deep in the mix. Towards the end we hear some brilliant tinkling xylophone that should really stand out, but is again lost and ends up as a minor detail. This is among my favourites on the album because the drum beat and piano ostinato add such energy and liveliness to this song .

The bass notes on “Fade To Dusk” are well captured. I can visualise the thick, dense strings vibrating each time we hear it played. It is here that we are introduced to a ghostly coo that Sutton employs in a few songs – an odd mournful wailing effect that makes the song sound ominous.

Most of these tracks a short and direct, unlike a lot of instrumental music I listen to. They tend to keep the same theme throughout without delineating far from the key melody or beat. The drums especially make the songs appear straightforward, with the same simple beat dominating many tracks. I can tell that they aren’t programmed – there are little giveaways like rapping on the rims in “Dim Lights” and the snare drags in “Fallen Leaf” – but they feel rigid enough that I can tell that the person behind the kit would feel more at home playing another instrument.

“Fallen Leaf” features a funky electric organ tune reminiscent of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”, and “Running In The Dark” just screams David Bowie’s “Heroes”. The latter is the only track on the album with vocals. Hoarse and almost whispered, the singing mirrors Bowie’s delivery of holding back until the chorus, creating suspense as we wait for the crescendo.

This is first and foremost a cinematic piano record. Beautiful evocative, it provokes my imagination into conjuring up all kinds of scenes to fit the music. Sutton includes a variety of instruments and effects to colour in the sounds, making for a varied listen. Static Breeze would be the perfect study album, with pleasant sounds in the background that could help you focus and lift your mood. And of course, it would work brilliantly soundtracking a film, seeing as it is so cinematic in nature.

Static Breeze is due out April 7th through Mint 400 Records,

Defend The Rhino links:

Website: www.nathanielsutton.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/defendtherhino
Twitter: www.twitter.com/defendtherhino
Instagram: www.instagram.com/defendtherhino

Album Review: Dan Caine – Transitions

Some mean bluesy guitar soloing sets a relaxed mood for Dan Caine’s latest effort, his new solo record Transitions, out on Fluttery Records.

The soaring solos on opening track “Peripeteia” rise above some picking and steel guitar that will call to your inner redneck. An odd combo of three guitar styles that all work together nicely. Just as well it does work, because there is little else at play here throughout the album, other than some light percussion. In my experience, most solo post-rock acts play all the elements of a full band using the magic of technology. Caine has chosen instead to focus on his key instrument, and to be honest the music doesn’t suffer for the lack of bass, drums and keys, but rather is enhanced by the simplicity.

Hailey Rose, Caine’s band mate from Lunar Sol, provides some lush vocal harmonies on “Aka’Aka” (Laughter) and “Wolf’s Moon”. I like that she sings in Hawaiian, rather than English. Not only does it make the singing more exotic, but it also reminds me of Te Reo Māori, the language spoken by the indigenous peoples here in New Zealand [Here’s an example of the Māori language for those interested – “Kawea Tātou Ki Ngā Hiwi” by Kerretta]. Rose has a lovely voice, with some ephemeral effects and harmonies making her voice sound simply gorgeous. In fact, for Wolf’s Moon” she doesn’t even sing lyrics, but uses her voice as an instrument, adding stunning harmonies by cooing and wailing.

“A New Chapter” is my favourite track on this album. It sounds laid back and cheerful, the soundtrack for relaxing in the tropics. The album info Caine sent me uses the term “blissful peace” to describe the track. I could think of no more apt a description.

Transitions is a short, sweet sample of Caine’s work, with seven tracks lasting 32 minutes. It is an atmospheric guitar album, and truth be told, Caine’s guitar abilities are fantastic. By using different techniques layered atop each other he constructs some brilliant moody tracks that will have you reaching for your air guitar in no time.