discorder » under review

AstroLogical

webeditor — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:01:45 +0000

FLUX EP by AstroLogical
Can you imagine a calm night being preyed upon by an overwhelming and particularly glistening sky? If you can, you already know the deal; if you can’t, listen to AstroLogical’s (a.k.a Nate Drobner) Flux, and you will understand.

The Vancouver-based multi-instrumentalist / producer’s dreamy eight-track album diffuses a manifesto through retro spoken vocals fused with a chillwave-jazz feel and psychedelic beats, as on opener “Delirium.” As the album continues, tracks dive into deep textures and heavy drums with the use of an open high-hat.

The softness of “Why?” has the ability to put one into a relaxing trance with a sleepy and mesmerizingly progressive sound. The album takes the listener through a circling saunter, much like a trip-hop version of Ratatat (minus the guitars) and closes with my personal favourite, “Diamonds In Your Eyes.”

All tracks were produced by Astro himself and mastered by the genius Patrick Haggart. After listening to Flux, it’s apparent that Vancouver’s instrumental lovers are in store for a unique and inspirational experience.

Coeur de Pirate

webeditor — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:01:17 +0000

Blonde by Coeur de pirate
Coeur de Pirate is the musical alias of 22-year-old Montreal-based chanteuse and piano prodigy Béatrice Martin. Blonde is her second album as a solo artist. One must admit that on first listen, the extremely polished, saccharine pop is almost too much to bear. It feels like drinking a pint of maple syrup.

This is unabashedly CBC-ready, foot-tapping CanCon, sounding like a less-snotty Quebecois version of Amy Winehouse; it will be gobbled up by a large number of people who are into that kind of thing, as the millions of hits on her YouTube videos will attest. Whatever makes pop music popular, Blonde is totally full of it.

Blonde is predominantly a break-up album. Martin has not-so-subtly hinted that the album’s creation was largely fueled by the disintegration of her short-lived and well-publicized relationship with Bedouin Soundclash’s Jay Malinowski. The lyrics (all in French) come across like a personal folded-up note from Martin to Malinowski that the teacher reads to the whole classroom. There are a lot of vague references to other girls, being lied to, and so on. The lyrics are best when exhibiting Martin’s canine teeth, as in the pricelessly brutal line from the single, “Adieu”: “You make love in two thrusts.”

Martin is undeniably a skilled (and extremely photogenic) songwriter and performer, but her performance on Blonde feels restrained and pent up like a fake smile. One wonders how she would sound if she delved into the raw nerve-endings of her heartache and anger and unapologetically released it upon her unsuspecting pop audience.

The Almighty Excruciating Pain

webeditor — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:01:36 +0000

E.P.E.P. by The Almighty Excruciating Pain
The Almighty Excruciating Pain creates a major racket on their strong if somewhat uneven debut EP. The band comes racing out of the gate with three dementedly heavy fist-pumpers.

“Idol Worship” thrashes relentlessly as guttural singing brings a shade of darkness to the melodic guitar work. “Don’t Worry, the Worst is Yet to Come” boasts an unbelievably killer breakdown, emphasizing the drummer’s impressive double-kick work.

There is also a showcase of the group’s light-hearted side, as the mariachi-inflected “Taco Song” boasts the hilarious lyrical refrain “I love my guitar more than you.”

The last two tracks are unfortunately less memorable and suffer from significantly inferior production quality to the first half of the EP. Thanks to the power of the first four songs though, this is a solid EP by a promising metal act that is well worth a listen.

Various Artists

webeditor — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:01:09 +0000

NITE PRISON LP studio out takes and demos by NITE PRISON
When the phrase “outtakes and demos” comes to mind, it tends to favour the connotations “less than desirable” or “not good enough for the album.” But Jesse Taylor, producer, engineer, and founder of Nite Prison recording studio, denies these stereotypes and gives these orphaned tracks a home on his latest release Nite Prison: Studio Outtakes and Demos. A diverse sampling of his work since early 2010, the 18 tracks clamber in at just over 40 minutes to showcase an assortment of Vancouver punk, no-wave, lo-fi, and noise musicians.

Taylor’s impressive technical abilities allow him to seamlessly transfer the stage energy of bands that have earned a reputation for their deafening and sweaty live performances, such as White Lung, whose opening track “Rats” summons an unrestrained fury found only at a d.i.y. punk show. Continuing on fierce and relentless, the record pummels listeners with a diverse selection of tracks, from trashy skateboard anthems by all-girl No L.A. Kill to Ahna’s murky crust.

And of course, this collection wouldn’t be complete without the disaffected abrasion of local favourites like Nü Sensae and Shearing Pinx. However it’s the more accessible side of Vancouver’s scene that stands out on this recording. Rendering ’90s nostalgia, the three-chord “Landlines” by Hari Legs is a return to simplicity that would fit just as easily on an early Punk-O-Rama compilation, while the punk ballad “California Cutoffs” by Juvenile Hall is a biting and sarcastic dream about easy livin’.

Studio Outtakes and Demos displays the diversity at Nite Prison and will be appreciated not only by collectors and punk enthusiasts but also those looking for an introduction to Vancouver’s punk scene.

Juvenile Hall

webeditor — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:01:33 +0000

Got Caught by Juvenile Hall
Juvenile Hall’s Got Caught first entered the CiTR charts in the number 2 position—and for good reason. The second release from the Vancouver trio picks up where their debut seven-inch left off, making for a hard hitting affair with some serious attitude. When Juvenile Hall first tested the relationship between amps and speakers, the girls suggested we should “Eat Shit and Die,” all the while loosely interpreting the idea of musical timing. Their raw energy and spirit was instantly endearing.

On their second EP, Juvie successfully compete with any other tunes that might be vying for air time in your inner ethos. Maintaining some of that gorgeous in-your-face energy with a healthy dose of refinement, the group have crafted three songs which are absolute diamonds in the rough.

From the opening seconds of Got Caught, it is clear the girls like it fast, heavy and catchy. There is nothing innately difficult with their songs. The band prefers to use a minimum amount of chords to convey their punk poetry, and they do it well. “Doctor Says” flirts with substance abuse — or is it substance under-use? — but the frantic jabs of Sadie Olchewski’s guitar, not to mention its great chorus hook, make it a highlight. The girls invite us all to a “House Party” on the second track, continuing their tradition of letting loose and making music suitable for any get together involving a potential whiplash. “Magazine Collage” offers a social commentary on fake women created by the fashion media while Juvenile Hall demonstrates an unorthodox beauty themselves by smashing their cymbals with relentless passion.

Hurried, raw and minimal, Got Caught’s growth is obvious.

Panther & the Supafly

webeditor — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:01:21 +0000

Nkazi by Panther & The Supafly
If you’re a regular on the Vancouver live music circuit you may recognize a few faces in Panther & the Supafly, Panther (real name Josh Matumona) has been playing guitar locally for years, and the Supafly is built up of several talented musicians who have also been plying their trade all over town. A hard working group for sure, and it shows in this surprisingly solid, if sometimes lackluster, debut EP Nkazi.

Everything from the thumping bass and power chords of the opening song “Swaggapuff” to the ’70s funk influence of the Mary Jane love song “Chronicles” and the thoughtful “Diamond in the Africa Rough” are well crafted and show that they can run the gambit of genres without trouble. In fact, none of the songs really resemble each other, perhaps showing that Panther & the Supafly are going out of their way to keep from being pigeonholed into one genre or another. The group’s sound seems built around mashing together genres to create something that sets them apart, but in the process of showing off their range they fail to build any sort of consistent sound that would hold together a full album.

Nothing about Nkazi is groundbreaking, and the unfortunate part about having a rapper as the frontman is that the band can go under-appreciated on the recording. Still, the choice of live performers rather then endless sampling is novel at least, and is a good compliment to Panther’s creative and smart lyrics. The result is an EP that sets the stage for a lot of future success once they find their own groove.

Sean Nicholas Savage

webeditor — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:01:54 +0000

Flamingo by Sean Nicholas Savage
Composing and recording music for most of his young life, gathering a rather diverse songbook, Montreal resident Sean Nicholas Savage averages about three albums a year. Flamingo is his latest and continues in the flow of simple songs that sometimes borrow from the Motown handbook of smooth romance, hippie freak-folk and ‘80s disco beats, but with a more eccentric bent.

If this is your first foray into Savage’s strange musical world, it is suggested that you dig up a few of his previous albums like Movin’ Up in Society, Won Ton Jaz or Trippple Midnight Karma before holding judgment. They may offer a broader idea of what this kid is up to and might make it easier to appreciate this latest output of oddball tunage.

Throughout Flamingo there is a continuous crackle and warp in the mix, giving these already old-school sounding songs more authenticity and intrigue, as if you’re listening to some old vinyl or a ratty cassette tape. Tunes like “Spotted Brown” and “Days Go By” have an easy listening, almost disco-funk feel while “Catch the Quick Fish” is like an old Dylan tune with a Cat Stevens-like essence.

Boyishly charming without being naïve and unapologetically sincere, Sean Nicholas Savage has a sound and delivery like no other and if you’re a fan of d.i.y. folk and cheap-sounding Casio beats played with style, then this music ought to tickle your fancy.

The Passenger

webeditor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:01:10 +0000

\_| by the passenger
Not to be confused with the English hardcore act, Vancouver’s version of the Passenger subscribes to a chill electronic vibe that, for a brief moment, delivers Eno-esque sounds; the key word is brief. The album, awkwardly named \_| (not sure how you even begin to say that), rotates between electro-spasms and ambient unconsciousness resulting in a sort-of restlessness throughout the ten-song affair.

\_| lacks unity, but it makes up for it with some interesting impressions—though you might have to skip the first track to get there. The opening seconds of the album are announced with a lazy but brash synth horn similar to something you might hear in a sci-fi movie about the future filmed in the early ‘70s. Before boredom sets in, “Mr. Similar” presents us with a series of rather random bits, bytes and beat pops before re-connecting with the original theme, which feels a bit worn by the time it makes a reappearance.

The awkward start might otherwise cast a shadow on the rest of the album; however, what follows are two tracks that are in complete contrast to each other, yet represent the best elements of the album.

“Planetarium” is a warm excursion into space travel, with its big square-waves and consistent groove lines making this track very accessible. “Rainy” relieves the crisp synth edges and replaces them with piano sounds subtly blurred together to create a gorgeous, downtrodden tone perfect for commiseration during the rainy season.

The Passenger gives us randomness, danceable moments and ambient musings all in the first three pieces. Unfortunately, this triumvirate continues for the duration of the album and even surfaces in a single track. There are moments on “Shirt” that are reminiscent of Eno’s Music for Airports, which are combined with the classic sound of an Electro Harmonix pedal (or something similar) providing an ultra-fast delay effect. While this is usually a good recipe for ear candy, the song—like the album—loses in its hyperactivity or inability to settle.

Nun Un

webeditor — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:01:43 +0000

NUN UN II by NUN UN
The chainsaw guitar tone and demonic back up vocals of “Lineage” thrust up through the mud like an undead hand, gripping your ankle and pulling you down into a sludgy, dark underworld where “Bone Tribunal” is waiting to crush your ears with primitive beats and desperate vocals.

You try and gasp for breath, but “Recognition Blues” swarms in and smothers you in a stinging cloud, leaving you swollen and battered but just conscious enough for the taunting “Dredge” to penetrate your skin. Sweat drenched and panicked, you look at your watch, and shockingly, barely eight minutes have passed.

Finally, the brazen “Straight Laced” comes in, claws bared, ready to finish you off, but takes mercy mid-mulling and thrusts you out of the darkness, sending you drifting back into consciousness.

Was it a horrible dream or an exhilarating nightmare? Possessed, you turn up the volume, press play again and eagerly wait for Nun Un II to drag you back into the frantic void between no-wave and hardcore.

Vincent Parker

webeditor — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:01:41 +0000

RESPECANIZE part one by Vincent Parker
This album is dirty. Proverbially dirty, of course – Vincent Parker’s newest release is oozing with style, substance, and sheer electronic filth. RESPECANIZE part one is a haunting and volatile journey through some perverted ethereal synthetic machine, twisting and churning the ears of any listener into a fuzzy, discordant mess.

Parker makes some dark, deep, ambient techno that screeches and burns yet soothes and sings. It’s an interesting clash of nonsense and fantastic rhythm – a successful tour de musique – without forming a “niche” group of listeners. The album’s opener “Cyrilian” may deter certain listeners with its initial fluctuation of heavy bass and perfect percussion, but those who venture further into RESPECANIZE and its mysterious nature will surely be pleased by the sheer variety of tones and arrangements Parker puts out in his step sequencer of choice.

The album’s final two tracks, “Slither” and “Live No Lie,” are the album’s high point, perfectly closing the effort with an undeniable catchiness. Despite being generally slower on the front-half of the release, Parker packs a punch for the last stretch of the album with a far more satisfying array of synthetic squeals.

Parker’s outdone himself with this RESPECANIZE part one. For those looking to grind their ears with assaulting bass, or those simply wanting to dance and transcend into an electronic abyss, it’s a fantastic example of ambient and experimental techno done right.