Hypomanic Daydream is the brainchild of an artist who goes by the name Manic Dream Girl. The Yearning (The Fiadh / self-release) is Hypomanic Daydream’s first full-length, following a split album and two EPs. Almost everything on the record, including the mixing and artwork was done by MDG herself, with some bass clarinet solos by Quetzal Tirado and additional drum production by Garry Brents (Gonemage, Sallow Moth, many other projects). Mastering was handled by Breandan Sloan (Convulsing).Continue reading
Tag Archives: genre blending
CONCERT REVIEW: Spacehog – EMF – Ecce Shnak Live at The Observatory
Spacehog is one of those bands that you either get or you don’t. Like Kula Shaker, the band are somehow catchy and obtuse in equal measure, sassy then serious the next minute. They might be mostly known for “In The Meantime”, one of the best rock songs of the nineties (or any decade), but they have killer tunes sprinkled through every album. Led by poetic David Bowie disciple Royston Langdon, The Resident Aliens coasted into Santa Ana with their nineties grunge-lite meets glam boots on along with some amazing support from dance indie Platinum-sellers Epsom Mad Funkers (EMF) and New York genre-defying upstarts Ecce Shnak. It was an eventful night, to say the least.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Cheer-Accident – Admission
Cheer-Accident has been around since 1981, which equates to the same length of time as Metallica. Unlike the Thrash Metal legends however, the Chicago outfit (named after a Hallmark shopping display) have released a fantastic amount of albums, nearly 30 at last count, as well as several compilations, EPs and seven inches, some of which have been released by the legendary Skin Graft Records (home to Squid Pisser, U.S. Maple, The Flying Luttenbachers, Dazzling Killmen and other such wonderful artists). Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Dawn Of Ouroboros – Bioluminescence
Continuing their trend of incorporating album titles with color-inspired themes, Blackened Progressive Death Metal outfit Dawn Of Ouroboros follows 2023’s Velvet Incandescence with the equally magnificent effort, Bioluminescence (Prosthetic Records). Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Nachtblut – Todschick
Out via Napalm Records which initially specializes in releasing Folk Metal and Black Metal units (but later expands in terms of genre diversity), Germany’s very own Nachtblut drop their seventh studio album entitled Todschick after previously having achieved a milestone regarding their previous release Vanitas, which peaked at #19 on the German album charts.Continue reading
CONCERT REVIEW: Better Lovers – seeyouspacecowboy – Foreign Hands – Greyhaven Live at El Corazon
Greg Puciato, somewhere in the middle of the madness, stated that, “Out of the 20 or so shows I’ve played here (Seattle), this is my favorite one.”
And what a night it was.
ALBUM REVIEW: Lil Lotus – Nosebleeder
These days, an album with fourteen tracks has become more of an anomaly than the status quo (barring Grindcore, of course, the universal exception to basically every rule ever).
ALBUM REVIEW: Phoxjaw – notverynicecream
For reasons well documented that we are not going to touch on here, notverynicecream (Hassle Records) the sophomore record from Bristolian avant-garde noise merchants Phoxjaw, finally sees the light of day some six months after first scheduled. And focusing solely on the music, is this a record that was worth the wait? In a nutshell … Yes!
ALBUM REVIEW: Zulu – A New Tomorrow
Fifteen unfinished chapters don’t combine to make a novel.
A New Tomorrow, the debut long-player from eclectic power-violence outfit Zulu (released via Flatspot Records), feels too much like a compendium of skeletal songs that largely fail to take off to truly work. Three of the first four tracks – the exception being the introductory ‘Africa,’ a piano and strings-infused number – start off heavy and emphatic, but they all conclude with a divergence. ‘For Sista Humphrey’ turns gospel; ‘Our Day Is Now’ descends into sound clips; and ‘Music To Driveby’ is marred by soft singing.
EP REVIEW: .GIFFROMGOD – Digital Red
Signed to Los Angeles-based Prosthetic Records (Yatra, ACxDC, Pupil Slicer, Vile Creature) Richmond, Virginia six-piece .GIFFROMGOD bring you their latest release, an EP by the name of Digital Red. It sees the band’s first recorded output since 2019’s full-length debut Approximation of a Human.