Being on a constant lookout for new things, I find myself discovering many talented people, too many in fact, and with time being an increasingly precious and limited "resource", I decided to create a new feature! Findings From The Underground will revolve around new and exciting releases from the nichest of bands from all the corners of the world. It goes without saying that any genre is welcome so expect... well everything! Now with that out of the way, let's see our first line-up!
Up first are Sydney's mad jazz collective Kurushimi and their newest full-length titled Chaos Remains. I won't lie, I haven't heard of these guys prior but that worked to their advantage because my initial shock was amplified as I went into this completely blind which is, as it turns out, the best course of action. Especially today where bands release up to a third of their upcoming record before they drop it but that's a topic for another day.
What matters is this sextet and how they approach jazz. Unlike, let's say Neptunian Maximalism who specialize in creating vast, sprawling and almost hypnotic compositions that subdue you with tribal repetition, Kurushimi are much more fluid and unpredictable in their approach and that becomes apparent as soon as with the opener "The Omen". Like the film which inspired it, the song has this alluring darkness surrounding it and it's accentuated even more with a steady veil of synths and truly bellowing saxophone interplay. What tops it all off for me is the angularity which stems from the incredibly impressive tempo switches that the band often time use.
To give you a solid idea of what awaits you, I've highlighted the the closing track "Wormhole" which just about showcases everything what you can expect but rest assured, even this monstrosity fails to paint the whole demented picture that's at play here. And while I absolutely love this track, my favorite is still "Chaotic Dub" and it's definitely not because it reminds me a bit of Bojack Horseman's theme song which visited all nine circles of hell... OK maybe that plays a tiny role but come on, how cool is this?
Sure you could boil my excitement down to just me being blinded by this novel combination but it's more than that. In words of the charlatan chieftain Todd Howard: "It just works." But not just works, it excels. Because believe it or not, all of this was improvised. Absolutely expect seeing this on my year end lists and I better see it on yours as well because Chaos Remains clocks in at just 29 and a half minutes. And that means any potential excuse you could have is looks at a window GONE yeets the excuse out of there. That will show them!
Let's move away from chaos a bit and enter the ethereal realms of Dust Moth's Rising // Sailing. Hailing from the Emerald City, this four-piece immediately grabbed my attention with their fresh approach to heavier music. Dust Moth are all about those layers but the manner in which they're organized is so satisfying and addictive. The only band I can think of right now that that exists on a similar level are Holy Fawn but they're a much denser-sounding and gloomier band whereas Dust Moth provide all the space needed to carry the weight from those chønky riffs and thundering bass work as well as meld that with shoegaze-like ethereal qualities. And carry they do because each of the eight songs shows a band in full control of their sound, never overusing a riff or drum line. Reminds me of Hum's masterful Inlet whom I praised for the same qualities last year.
Anyhow, I left "Melted Monuments" here as an example of how they play with space.
And I know that's a huge trope in the reviewing world but just listen to the interplays here. The guitar and bass never overtake one another as each gets their own pocket of space where they're able to shine and this is further more accentuated by constant tasteful drumming and later down the line with synths which are handled by the vocalist.
Speaking of which, notice how wonderful Irene Barber's sounds and how she never drastically raises her voice, rather she comfortably sits in a range where she's able to show her range and not diverge your attention from the other members. Interestingly, her timbre reminds me of Azusa's Eleni Zafiriadou when she's not screaming.
Now, this unified approach to songwriting and composition is what makes these guys stand out, no doubt, but to top it all off, the production is stellar. The bass and snare tone especially, I seriously cannot get enough of it and to be honest the whole record. It doesn't matter if I am on my bike or sitting back behind my computer and typing away or returning home in a haze, Rising // Sailing always delivers and with every revisit I find something new to drool over and I am very sure you will too.
And just like that we're back on that wonky shit! But not just wonky, French wonky. With their sophomore Corrupted Pillars Of Vanity, Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa join the ranks of their illustrious black metal scene as another strange voice you need to hear. However, do not expect furious angular noodling which made the scene known, nay, this quartet is all about saxophone-flared proggy goodness. And I think I know what you're thinking:
"How on earth is sax in black metal different from other bands you could've potentially showcased?"
I hear ya but we wouldn't be here if Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa were a gimmick band. On the contrary, they fully utilize the instrument, even more than noir maestros White Ward whose half appears on the record. If you do garner a special hatred for this trend then I am afraid I can't sell you Corrupted Pillars Of Vanity but before you skip this section, have a look at the song below.
If that successfully brought you back, consider my pretentious smirk as a "Told you so!". As for the rest of you whose attentions I had from the beginning, congrats, you're Chads and I love ya! But let's be serious for a minute here (don't time me) and discuss what we heard. Were those bongo drums? I do believe so dear reader and like the saxophones and keyboards, they are essential with building the atmosphere in addition for providing an extra dimension to an already rich sound. There are reasons for this of course, the obvious one to not be a by the numbers black metal release and the second, more important one, this is a concept record. Actually it's a continuation of their previous one because on top of everything, Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa are dirty nerds who created a whole sci-fi universe with intrigue, danger and high stakes.
And as another dirty nerd, it's my duty to point out these things seeing as you probably won't be focusing on the lyrical aspect of the record, I haven't at first but I am still saying that perhaps you should. There are a lot of things to unpack here and seeing as I myself haven't taken a proper dive in the lore, I don't believe I am in a position to give orders... or am I? OK I hope that was about a minute long otherwise I'll look silly.
Anyhow, like the previous two picks, this is a no brainer for me and you can be sure I won't be alone in this so jump aboard and be one of the cooler kids.
Last but not least, the album that gave me the idea for this feature, Nightmare Withdrawals. Spewed forth from the promised land of New Zealand, Blindfolded And Led To The Woods made some dummy thicc waves with this release and after getting my face melted off from it and reconstructed a few days later, it's no wonder. It's getting increasingly rare to find bands that are aware of their technical proficiency but also willing to, get this, not let that be their defining trait and these Kiwis absolutely fit that small and exclusive bill. In some ways they remind me of Alkaloid but if Alkaloid consumed PCP and went to a rave with mathcore and grindcore kids before going to a nice jazz gig during the hazy after. Sounds wild? Well it's still not as wild as THIS which I just found about and I am sure the band is sick of it so I'll just move right along and leave this slapper for you to try digesting.
Done? So yeah... where does one even begin hahaha. OK I got it! Love the fact how seemingly random the quintet manages to turn things around by quickly darting not only your expectations of what is to follow but actual genres. In the case of this particular track, what began as a fairly jagged tech death metal joint quickly turns into mathcore spasms ala Aseitas before unleashing a sick solo before charging back to a completely deranged ending.
These strangely cohesive sudden shifts are nothing new to the most extreme genres but these gents have that musical instinct to make it work to keep us engaged and dare I say, having fun. And as soon as the word "fun" is uttered when describing a tech death record, you know you're onto something special and Nightmare Withdrawals are without a shred of a doubt a record I'll be coming to during this year and beyond...
Psst! whispering This is the part where I go and recommend this with a sense of finality but I won't directly do that so act inclined and do so on your lonesome thanks bye.
And there we have it, our first Findings From The Underground! Still not completely sold on the name but seeing how it's the first thing that came to my mind a few months ago when I got the idea, I think I'll stick with it, plus it sounds a bit mysterious innit?
Anyway, I wish to thank you for your attention, especially if you're from these bands, it means the world to me! And now I'll leave you with relevant info for these wonderful bands underneath yet another divider so go absolutely ham there and I hope you've discovered something new to enrichen your day(s). Until next time!
Chaos Remains was released through Art As Catharsis on February 26th, Rising // Sailing through A Thousand Arms on March 12th, Corrupted Pillars Of Vanity independently on April 9th and Nightmare Withdrawals independently on March 26th.