Browsing Tag

Math Rock

FHMY – my blue heaven, featuring AQL; a shoegaze invitation to tonal nirvana

Posted on 23 November 2024

The Cairo-born artist, FHMY’s latest single ‘my blue heaven’, featuring AQL, fuses the tonal sublimity of shoegaze with the rhythmic intricacy of math rock, giving listeners a double dose of melancholic alchemy.

The undercurrents surge with an immense force of gravity, dragging you under the progressions as the vocal outpours of emotion oscillate and bleed into the production, allowing the evocative edge of the single to belie the abstract nature of the lyricism. Tumultuous yet as mellifluous as waves crashing onto the shore, ‘my blue heaven’ is the definition of a juxtaposing masterpiece.

FHMY could easily have entered the Hall of Fame pantheon alongside Smashing Pumpkins and My Bloody Valentine if he had entered the scene in the epoch when indie luminaries capable of tearing down the barriers to the soul while building immense walls of sound reigned supreme.

my blue heaven was officially released on November 15; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Cutting Through Nostalgia: No Edits Ignite Modern Angst in ‘Faulty Intuition’

Posted on 14 November 2024
We All End Up The Same by No Edits

In their latest single, Faulty Intuition, the powerhouse, No Edits, pushes past the boundaries of Seattle’s alt-rock legacy to deliver a visceral post-hardcore anthem, sharp enough to pierce right through the psyche.

With angular riffs that feel more like sonic daggers, this track forges a path unburdened by any homage to the city’s signature sound. Instead, Faulty Intuition lands like a volatile fusion of influences, crafted with an almost calculated abandon that lets it flirt with post-hardcore dissonance while staying grounded in an alt-indie aesthetic.

As a freshly rechristened trio, No Edits—formerly known as Fixtures—make it clear they’re uninterested in nostalgia. They nod to a lineage of greats like Burning Airlines and These Arms Are Snakes, but the group’s energy leans into the future rather than mining the past. The jagged guitar lines and shifting time signatures evoke the genius of Porcupine Tree and the raw force of Alexisonfire, without feeling tethered to any one genre. This sonic experiment channels the modernistic intensity of Royal Blood, creating an angst-driven that straddles chaos and control.

Taken from their debut LP, We All End Up The Same, the track’s dynamic riffing, emotive vocals and blistering rhythm section are primed to resonate with fans who crave immediacy in alt-rock. Faulty Intuition slices through convention, capturing a modern, digitally distorted existential angst that’s less about reviving the past and more about reimagining rock’s present.

Faulty Intuition is now available to stream and purchase on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Chenzo joined the guitar greats with his instrumental score, The Greatest Adventure

Posted on 20 October 2024

Chenzo’s latest instrumental guitar single, The Greatest Adventure, is a dualistic triumph, an exhibition of technical skill, simultaneously standing as a testament to resilience. After a career nearly severed by hand surgeries, Chenzo returned from the brink to deliver a sound that fuses the intricacies of math rock with the timeless energy of classic rock, proving he’s earned his place in the riff-master pantheon.

The Greatest Adventure cathartically awakens your rhythmic pulses as the interwoven notes defy conventional time signatures while melt-worthy progressions strip the weight from your soul. The expansive soundscape surges with energy, punctuated by drum fills and bursts of momentum that give the track its pulse. Stick with the score, and you’ll be treated to riffs that echo the greats of the genre—proof that Chenzo’s shredding skills haven’t just endured, they’ve evolved.

Years of recovery have refined his sound, allowing for a more structured, concise approach to songwriting. No longer limited to shredding for shredding’s sake, Chenzo’s music now affectingly resonates through melodies that resolve with the clarity of a vocal line, creating a connection beyond technicality.

Stream the official music video for The Greatest Adventure on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Swim in the alt-rock riptide of Sharpened.Lives’ latest single, drifter

Posted on 25 September 2024

Groningen founded, Mainz based most cutting trio, Sharpened.Lives, continue to sell sanctuary to the disenchanted through their introspectively iron-wrought, expansively influenced alt-rock single, drifter.

The track resonates with the seductive depth of Deftones and carries the visceral punch of post-hardcore giants like Alexisonfire, all while infusing the intricate time signatures reminiscent of InME and the cutting-edge aesthetics of Highly Suspect.

The backbone of ‘drifter’ is its gnarled basslines that churn beneath chameleonic vocals, which oscillate between tender harmonies and guttural outpours. The guitar work is nothing short of incisive, crafting hooks that are as magnetic as they are sharp, ensuring that once you’re pulled in, there is no getting out unaffected.

Drifter presents a rare sonic experience that engulfs you by being far more than the sum of all its cultivated parts; it demands total surrender to its raw, emotional pull. The track’s glitchy, tumultuous breakdowns are potent enough to sideline even the most revered BMTH records, making a clear statement about the band’s intent to redefine the boundaries of heaviness and emotional depth in music.

For anyone who has felt adrift in the often chaotic current of reality, don’t hesitate to dig in. Their upcoming EP, ‘st//tches’, promises to be a continuation of this powerful dialogue with their listeners.

drifter was officially released on September 6th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Caught in the Sonic Undertow of  Dan Morgan’s Post-Rock Riptide, ‘Brace Yourself’

Posted on 22 September 2024
In The Wake Of A Dying Sun by Dan Morgan

After intense anticipation, Dan Morgan’s debut LP, In the Wake of a Dying Sun, released by Throwing Shapes, is finally upon us. After the opening salvo, the first of the seminal singles, Brace Yourself, offers listeners a potent foretaste of the album’s virtuosic versatility. Brace Yourself is not only a harbinger of Morgan’s diverse exploration but a forceful narrative in its own right, positioning itself steadfastly within the post-rock genre.

In this track, traditional rock instrumentation grooves against cutting-edge and vintage analogue synths, lending an air of retro-futurism to the production which allows the poetic whispers of lyricality to resonate beyond the confines of the release as the verses work their way into the reverberations of your mind.

The complex time signatures woven throughout Brace Yourself are the ultimate attestations of Morgan’s ability to melodically manipulate controlled chaos. This rhythmic complexity adds a palpable intensity to the track which delivers post-rock as you’ve never heard it before.

You’ll be caught between adoration of how cohesively all the elements of the track pulled together and the intensity of emotions evoked by the sonic escapade. Because once you hit play, you’re powerless to resist the momentum. Like getting caught up in a riptide at sea, all you can do is succumb to the higher power as it carries you.

As the first glimpse of what ‘In the Wake of a Dying Sun’ promises, ‘Brace Yourself’ sets a high bar. It is an earnest reflection of Morgan’s last few years of dedication in the studio, wrestling with a spectrum of sounds and influences that culminate in a collection of tracks that are set to seal his fate as one of the most promising UK alt-rock artists of 2024.

In the Wake of a Dying Sun was released on September 12 stream the LP in full on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

the LVP delivered dejection driven through fervid volition in their math-rock-meets-post-hardcore release, Deepest, Darkest

Posted on 11 January 2024

Don’t let the humility in the Brooklyn-based fourpiece’s self-deprecating description of a “remedial math rock band” fool you; the LVP pioneered a meticulously crafted labyrinth of sound with their sophomore single, Deepest, Darkest, which fuses the rhythmic unpredictability of math rock with the electrifying rancour of post-hardcore. The single will throw all your preconceptions of math rock by the wayside with the prolific instrumental hooks which plunge you deeper into the confessionally candid antagonism.

Deepest, Darkest is a testament to the LVP’s lack of fear when delving into the depths of musical and emotional prowess. It is a viscerally intense masterclass in controlled chaos. The guitar lines, intricate and compelling, create a tapestry of sound that ensnares the listener, while the bass growls and drum rhythms punch through with relentless energy.

The band’s approach to math rock eschews genre norms for a sound that’s both innovative and deeply personal. The result is a track that’s as much a journey through the band’s musical landscape as it is a reflection of their inner turmoil.

The single’s emotional core is its greatest strength. It’s a cathartic release of pent-up emotions that resonates with anyone who’s ever felt the weight of dejection. The band’s ability to channel their feelings into a sound that’s both aggressive and melodic is a testament to their skill as musicians and storytellers.

Deepest, Darkest was officially released on December 15th, ahead of the LVP’s eponymous EP, which will hit all major streaming platforms on January 19th. Discover the LVP on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Batten down the hatches, Below Bermuda is back with another rip-roaring slice of alt-rock, Wings

Posted on 2 January 2023

After a brief recording hiatus, the international alt-rock outfit, Below Bermuda turned up the temperature with the blazing hot funk-dripped riffs with their first release since 2018, Wings. If you’re sick of four-chord rock, dig right into the complex rhythmic patterns in this hit that will dizzy you into mesmerism. Although you might want to batten down the hatches first, Below Bermuda is about as unreckonable as the Bermuda Triangle itself.

The Rise Against vocal reminiscence and melodically hooky instrumentals in the choruses around the frenetic punk rock pacing in the verses create a track that keeps on giving. After one hit of Wings, I knew that Below Bermuda is a band well-worth catching live. Their animated energy that pulls it together just enough to create a tight AF performance will undoubtedly make for an unforgettable live experience.

It just so happens that before lockdown crimped their touring and recording plans, Below Bermuda rip roared through venues and festivals in the UK, earning themselves the accolade of one of the hottest live acts on the scene.

Wings is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Grab a seat at the table for Tuncratio’s atmospheric alt-rock instrumental, Feast of Nothing

Posted on 26 December 2022

There’s something in the atmosphere of Tuncratio’s seminal instrumental alt-rock single, Feast of Nothing. The intro instrumental framework threw me right back to when Alexisonfire was a prized possession in my CD collection. Feast of Nothing then progresses into a deeply evocative melodic piece with complex time signatures that compel you to lean deeper into the alluring sonic mise en scene that cinematically wraps up through a cinematically orchestral outro.

The Italian-born, Scottish-by-adaption multi-instrumentalist and producer entered the music industry in the early 2000s. Not one to feel sated in the confines of one genre, his music spans across multiple, often in the space of one track. In his eclectic range of influences, Smashing Pumpkins, Mogwai and Deftones often push to the forefront in his sonic signature scribbled across his discography. Tuncratio’s back catalogue currently consists of two LPS, two mixtapes and the EP, Elephant in the Room, from which Feast of Nothing was taken.

Feast of Nothing was officially released on December 12th; catch it on Spotify. Stay tuned for Tuncratio’s upcoming

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Post-rock meets folk as Jess Porter connects the dots in his comeback single, Patterns.

Posted on 7 January 2022

After experimenting in other outfits, the Melbourne artist, Jess Porter, has made his first release since 2014. Right from the intro, Patterns hits you with its dynamic intensity. The simple folky melody running through in hyper-speed instantly immerses you in the post-rock alchemy.

Patterns moves past art rock into 65daysofstatic territory with the synths becoming equal to the guitars as they groove and glitch through the complex time signatures. The vocal effects are nothing short of ingenious for the way Porter harmonically proves that he doesn’t have a vocal timbre to hide before running it through enough distortion that it becomes as volatile as the instrumentals.

Patterns is now available to stream and purchase on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Vulpine break new ground with their experimental post-rock EP, Ventures.

Posted on 19 October 2021

Scotland’s most melodic alt-rock outfit, Vulpine, has released their genre-spanning debut EP, Ventures, which brings a rare sense of accessibility to math rock and plenty of solemnity and poise to emo pop-rock.

The best introduction to their atmospheric, progressively gripping songwriting style is the title track, which carries the evocative weight of Frightened Rabbit combined with the instrumental furore of Mogwai.

From an ambient prelude, an intricately immense storm kicks up in the instrumentals, taking you through gripping breakdowns and even sweeter crescendos that hit the climactic spot every time. As the consistently in-flux sonic palette switches up through the progressions, vocalist, Pete Fox, demonstrates the provoking range of his vocal power.

The Ventures EP released on October 1st. It is now available to stream and purchase on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast