George Will Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgewillmusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeorgeWillMusic
Joseph James
Album Review: We Deserve This – Smile
Jan Platek is a busy man.
I subscribed to his We Deserve This Bandcamp page last year, which gave me access to hundreds of recordings and releases – a veritable treasure trove of post-rock music waiting to be listened to. But Platek decided that these offerings were not enough. The people need more! So he created another project, going by his own name. And as if the two solo projects on Bandcamp weren’t adequate, he also releases an album through Fluttery Records from time to time.
I have over 14 hours worth of his material on my computer. Just let that sink in… He has recorded and released over 14 hours worth of material over a four-year period. And that isn’t counting side projects.
Like I said: Jan Platek is a busy man.
Smile is his latest release, out via Fluttery Records on February 24.
So how does Smile weigh up compared to the rest of his output?
Well, it’s good. It’s very recognisably a We Deserve This release. You know – brilliant post-rock that treads a balance so well between being heavy and ambient. You can rock out to it by blasting it loudly from your stereo, but could just as easily use it as relaxing background music. The album description blurb lists influences from both 90’s rock music and post-rock and post-metal genres.
It is evident that Smile had a lot of time invested into it. There are many layers and textures and melodies all linked in so masterfully. This doesn’t sound exceptional, but bear in mind that this isn’t something that just came out of the woodwork at band practice. Platek recorded this all himself, so would have spent countless hours working on each song until he felt it was perfect.
I have to award bonus marks for talent. I love how modern technology has enabled so many musicians to become the new Mike Oldfield by releasing music that they have single-handedly recorded all the instruments on. [For other examples see: Cloudkicker, Lights & Motion, Oscillate, Barouche, 10 Waves of You, Gregory Tan]. Platek’s grandfather was a music teacher, which gave Platek a good grounding with a variety of instruments. This formative education, combined with a love of music and a drive to constantly push his creative tendencies has helped Platek to refine his craft. And did I mention that he’s prolific? When you have this much practice then your music better be damn good!
To be honest, I don’t think I can rank this against other We Deserve This releases. This is not a criticism of Smile, but more of a reflection of how well I know the We Deserve This catalogue. I think you’ll forgive me for confessing that it’s hard to get to know 14 hours worth of material. I guess the risk with being so prolific is that each release struggles to stand out from within the pool of other material.
Platek loves to release singles and EP’s, so this release is uncommon for him, ringing in at 27 minutes over six tracks. So that’s one thing that Smile boasts to stand out from the rest of the collection: it’s a cohesive album that lasts long enough to sink your teeth into.
If you’re unfamiliar with We Deserve This, then you may as well use Smile as a start point. And once you’ve digested that, than you’re ready to spend a very long time discovering a lot more where that came from.
You can buy Smile from Fluttery Records here: https://we-deserve-this.bandcamp.com/releases
We Deserve This 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 (side-project): https://jan-dirkplatek.bandcamp.com/releases
Joseph James
Live Review: Into Orbit – Unearthing Album Release Show
Into Orbit
w/ His Masters Voice
San Fran, Wellington
Friday 10th of February 2017
I feel guilty, but it has become common practice for me to start a gig off at San Fran standing on the deck outside. Beer in hand and inhaling the second-hand smoke from my fellow concert goers outside. I watch the passers-by and mix ambient sounds of Cuba street with the music coming from inside the venue. This time it was different. As I was conversing with my friend Jon we both suddenly stopped looked at each other with a blank stare. ‘Hey that sounds a bit like Sabbath‘ he says to me. ‘Or Zeppelin’ I replied with a heightened sense of curiosity.
Opening the door we move towards the stage with gusto. We are met by what His Masters Voice have come to dub The Devils Blues. A fitting title for their high-octane brand of music. As we stand in the center of the floor the sound surrounds us. A sound fronted by mournful wails reminiscent of the classic American soul. The crash of cymbals and driving bass with facial hair to match puts a giant smile on my face as the rhythm section are only a pair of cheap sunglasses away from ZZ Top’s legendary back row. Giving the rhythm just enough personal flair to give it a contemporary feel while staying true to the roots that took hold in the American South so long ago.
His Masters Voice at San Fran. Image. Mathias Hallberg
It is a hard-fought battle, but slowly the crowd is being beaten into submission. More and more pour through the gates. One by one they are summoned to the dance floor by shrieking guitars. Carrying just enough gravel and grit to stand toe to toe with any Metal band that is foolish enough to take the challenge laid out by His Masters Voice.
As the set comes to an end I was feeling a bit too giddy. Obviously, I needed a beer and the bartender is glad to serve us up a couple of pints of the golden nectar. He would soon come to regret his decision for in my overly excited state I felt compelled to convince him of just how good the show was. The look of terror on his face earns a sensible chuckle. I slowly back away and leave him in peace.
Not one to disappoint Into Orbit step onto the stage and get straight to work, introducing us to their new baby, Unearthing. San Fran’s hall is filled with thundering drums and meticulously layered guitar. Into Orbit must be close to the top of the list of loudest bands that I have seen. So much sound is produced by just two musicians. Paul Stewart on the ever looping and layered guitar and Ian Moir manning the battery. Drawing a decent crowd with their virtuosic Prog Metal sound I am taken once again into their world joined by their ever growing fan base here in Wellington. Their story is told by everything from soft-spoken guitar melodies to full on sludgy heavy metal riffs. Always building and releasing tension in the room.
A successful album release show, sadly (or not) overshadowed by a world-class performance by the opening band.
Links
Album Review: Floating In Space – The Edge Of The Light
There is little wonder that Ruben Caballero approached niche record label Deep Elm when he was looking for someone to release his début album, The Edge of Light. Deep Elm have switched their core focus from emo to cinematic post-rock in recent years, and Caballero’s project, Floating In Space, fits within this new vision beautifully.
Deep Elm have always been staunchly independent. In recent years they have adopted a brave strategy and made the move to Bandcamp, offering their entire catalogue up for pay-what-you-want. Obviously this does not make great business sense to offer your product up for potentially no return. The label still managed to make money however, by licensing their music for film soundtracks and advertisements.
Similar to other Deep Elm poster boys like Lights & Motion/Christoffer Franzen, Moonlit Sailor and Dorena, Floating In Space offers an inviting musical soundscape to whisk you away into places far away. The songs stand alone as strong releases, but also offer the potential to soundtrack a big screen blockbuster.
Caballero explores dichotomies with his music, stating “Through my songs, I try to show my vision of a world where light and shadows, calm and fears, solitude and togetherness meet in the vastness of space.” Hence the chosen title for this musical outlet: Floating In Space.
He also comments on the cinematic nature of the music: “There are two things that never cease to inspire me when I look through my window: the sea and the sky. I see all vital experiences, dreams and fears more clearly when taking a night walk along the coastline. Those walks inspire me to describe my feelings through music. So I’ve created an album that I would want to listen to, as if my experiences and feelings were sequences of a movie with my music as the soundtrack””
One setback is that The Edge of Light sounds more like a collection of cinematic snippets than a cohesive album. Unlike most post-rock/ambient projects, the tracks found here never extend far past standard single duration, with longest song ‘Redshift’ clocking in at just shy of four minutes long. This is not to say that brevity is a bad thing, but more a suggestion that some of the tracks could have been pushed further and extended upon.
Sure enough, The Edge of Light spans the emotional spectrum, visiting moods and feelings with lush instrumentation. It really is a ride, ranging from intimate delicacy to intense urgency. One can hear the time and passion Caballero has invested into this project when we unfold the layers and notice each subtle component.
If cinematic music takes your fancy, then let Floating In Space take you on an expansive journey through time, space and emotion.
Floating In Space Links
Bandcamp: http://deepelmdigital.com/album/the-edge-of-the-light
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/floatinginspacemusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/floating_music
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/floatinginspace_official/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/floatinginspacemusic
Joseph James
Album Review: Into Orbit – Unearthing
Wellington two-piece Into Orbit have been making waves over the past few years. Since debuting Caverns in 2014, the two have played shows all around the country alongside other brilliant acts, slowly building up their profile as a musical force to be reckoned with.
Unearthing is their second album. We’ve had tastes of what to expect with first two singles “Gilgamesh” and “Dark Matter”, so have known what to expect.
Paul Stewart playing at San Fran. Image: Will Not Fade
The Into Orbit I’m used to plays crushingly heavy atmospheric music. The sound seems too full to come from just two players, but they pull off these textures by using dense layering.
I see them as post-rock’s answer to Cairo Knife Fight. Paul Stewart lays down layers upon layers of guitar sounds to achieve complex aural textures. It’s hard to believe that waves of ambient wash, extraterrestrial squeals, filthy crunchy chugging riffs, droning distorted passages and sections of exact picking all come from just one man. Ian Moir batters the drums half to death, using his deft skills to pummel the skins into submission. Into Orbit prove that they are greater than the sum of their parts, providing soundscapes I would never thought possible coming from just two players.
‘Dark Matter’ sets the mood for the album. The guitar is played percussively by lightly banging the strings before another layer of swells are added. Repetitive drums comes in. This continues for a few bars THEN BAM! chugging riff-tastic goodness! Part drone, part metal, bordering on djent. It’s what we’ve come for!
Lead single and album closer ‘Gilgamesh‘ follows similar suit, with other-worldly guitar tones setting an ominous vibe before Moir’s busy drums contribute to the act of summoning God-knows-what to the altar of doom. It’s slower than ‘Dark Matter’, but just as heavy.
I’m not doing the music justice with these descriptions. It’s not all doom and gloom. For example, ‘Equilibrium’ offers us a peek at the lighter end of the spectrum. It’s the sound of hope rather than impending oblivion. . .well for the first few minutes anyway. Title track ‘Unearthing’, (which was previewed on the Hemispheres compilation a few weeks ago) starts in a similar way, with more focus on treble than distortion.
Buuuut, the heavy songs are just more fun. Moir is a demon who really knows how to dominate those drums. Stewart can command control over the full spectrum of sound with his six strings and many pedals, but nothing beats a good ol’ moshable breakdown.
Something that surprised me about Unearthing was the variety of emotions explored. I guess that I was just expecting an album’s worth of crushing instrumental metal along the lines of the first two singles. I was mistaken. Yes, Unearthing will generously offer you head banging opportunities, but the duo will also lead you down other aural avenues that are just as interesting.
The hard work, constant playing and hard promotion appears to have paid off. Into Orbit have already made a name for themselves, and Unearthing will only help to cement the two of them as players to take note of.
Ian Moir on drums. Image: Will Not Fade
Unearthing Vinyl Pressing
Into Orbit are raising money to pay for a vinyl pressing of Unearthing. If you would like to help them do this you can visit their Pledgemusic page to preorder the record. There are other options as well, like buying tshirts, and artwork.
Album Release Show At San Fran
Into Orbit are playing their Unearthing release show this Friday at San Fran, with support from His Masters Voice. At only $11 (booked online), you’d be foolish to miss it!
Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/998743256935865/
Tickets: http://www.undertheradar.co.nz/ticket/6198/Into-Orbit—-Unearthing-Album-Relase.utr
Into Orbit Links:
Website: http://www.intoorbit.co.nz/
Bandcamp: https://intoorbit.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/intoorbit/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/intoorbit
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/intoorbit
Pledgemusic: https://artists.pledgemusic.com/projects/intoorbit
Joseph James