MaGiCoRe Music Blog

∞nce upon a time...

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

V/A - Evil [Deathbomb Arc Compilation]

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Diss1 drop some experimental Hip Hop down, styles ranging between a smattering of 80s production flare and Die Antwoord delivery/vibe (though with far more substance than Die could ever manage) with a little dirty electronics thrown in for good measure. The whole compilation is led off with Diss1 and their tracks poignant opening sample of A Tribe Called Quest calling "Please don't be deceived by the ugly slice of evil". Boo Hiss brings some digital punk to the table that quickly flows into Black Pus' meandering glitch piece "Beg to Blague". I found Black Pus' offering quite uninspired/boring. Viper Venom "Goosebumps" sounds like most contemporary "Hip Hop" club hits, but extremely dark and digital. For fans of ICP, Twiztid, etc. Much guttural "YAH" wowe. Black Pus follows with the very DIY punk sounding "Food is Great". The compilation continues on with some downtempo breaks smashed with harsh noise from Dreamcrusher, Rind brings much reverb drenched kvlt, Sissy Cobb offers up some pretty straight forward harsh noise (with a little experimentation) on "Hounds"...... the real stand outs on this album are Diss1 and Signor Benedick the Moor (prod. Brrrapture) with their own fairly original takes on Hip Hop, ParallaxScroll with their endearing IDM fair, and Grypt with their well produced kvlt outing. Much of this album didn't really impress me. There are some good points like I mentioned but a lot of it felt uninspired or perhaps juvenile. Juvenile in the way that these projects are still in their relative infancy still trying to develop themselves. Or perhaps some of the material just came across trendy to me? I've heard this has been getting alot of press... I'm starting to wonder why. Regardless, the compilation is for a good cause and there are some stand outs that are definitely worth checking out. The cover was just black, so I decided to choose a better image for this post.

This is what Deathbomb Arc had to say about the release:

Benefit compilation for the anti-debt charity Rolling Jubilee rollingjubilee.org - 100% of money donated for downloads will be given to Rolling Jubilee.

Acts were asked to write songs about evil in whatever form they wished, from the specific to the abstract; from the cartoonish to the most horrible and real. Here at Deathbomb Arc, we consider economic systems designed to keep the majority of people in debt the most evil of all.

For even more information, we highly recommend you read the book 'Debt' by David Graeber.

DOWNLOAD

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Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Sleeve↓ - The Loss EP


New EP from San Diego based STYLSS associate Sleeve↓ on Liquid Geometry! Sleeve↓ defies expectations on this very surprising release, taking the listener on an unexpected and pleasant psychedelic journey.

[tlr]

DL

Dubious Disc - Illex Forest EP

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A short EP of ambient chiptunes. Each song is named after a forest dwelling Pokemon. Every track is filled with delay and reverb soaked melancholy chip melodies backed by subdued drums. Very good for playing quietly while stressed out. Dubious Disc is an alias of Melting. You can download this release for free from Melting's bandcamp or purchase a cassette version of the album through the DIY label NOG Records run by SeagullsFuckingSeagulls.

DOWNLOAD

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Thursday, January 23, 2014

Noistruct - Sacrilege [NTR096]

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some dirty 'n dark atmoshperic drone breakcore goodness from Australia's Night Terror Recordings
and Noistruct. 3 tracks clocking in at almost 1/2 hour plus stems for the title track. Industrial wasteland soundscapes digitally rendered. Ceremonial Remix has got some haunting vocals bumping about... busy ER waiting room. Splitting headache breaks. That feeling before your appendix was removed. Dissonant background layers swallow the break. Cacophony. "RMX" is a far different and less lengthy take on title track. MuCH c0r3 FuNk.

DOWNLOAD

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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

The DEEP HARD N FAKECORE RADIO SHOW - Jan 2014


The DEEP HARD N FAKECORE RADIO SHOW Underground Specialist Radio Show focuses on breakcore, jungle, and related styles. The show is curated from Auckland NZ & Los Angeles, USA. Each episode features 7 artists from 7 countries. January features Igorr, Passenger of Shit, FFF, Christoph De Babalon, Speak Onion, Audio-Slut and Gore-Tech. Check it out and tune in to future episodes.

[tlr]
DL

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Forget Me Nauts - Profile Update


Smashing new release by LA based Forget Me Nauts. Sludgy distortion, gentle synths, and robotic vocals tell a tale of ... something? If you are looking for a band betwixt stoner metal and Weezer with a twist of synthpop flavor, then you will dig this. New, new, new wave..

[tlr]

DL

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Friday, January 17, 2014

[MNF007] HITORI TORI: Beyond the Wake [EP]

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Hitori Tori's "Beyond the Wake" EP dropped last November, so I apologize to those who are already familiar with this fine release. Those of you who are not, you are in for a treat. Released by Meganeural Records, a net and hard release label specializing in (as Meganueral puts it) "Intelligent Rave Music".

"Beyond the Wake" lives in the realm of quick acid licks and splattered breaks. Nothing new or ground breaking. That said every track is masterfully produced. Clever composition with top tier edits combine for a very energetic listening experience. These tracks tear up the dance floor. The fast attack acid licks are quite reminiscent of the works of Wisp and Squarepusher.

Hitori Tori does a great job of joining the sounds of Bogdan Raczynski/Aphex Twin brand "IDM" with splashes of raggacore and jungle oriented breakcore. While there are similarities between Hitori and the aforementioned greats, there lacks a certain emotional fire to the melodies. They definitely stir the body. Unfortunately they do not stir the heart in the same way that others making this variety of music do.

One of my favorite moments lies in "Mana Pool featuring Helicobacter" which is pretty much standard fare until towards the end, where it breaks down into an awesomely groovy glitch hop ender. There are quite a few vocal samples peppered through out. A few are hip hop a capellas. Others are from movies/TV. Much like with the melodies, there is little emotion provoked. The exception would be the last minute or so of "Remian V2" where the synth lead combines with hip hop vocals and break edits bringing the song to an exceptional finish.

Hitori Tori's "Beyond the Wake" is perfect for the dance floor. Every track holds non stop energy. The music is pretty top notch for the genres contained within. With all this energy bursting from each track, it often lacks direction. Things often seem purely mechanical. A well oiled machine made from the pinnacle of break science, yet it lacks a heart.

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Thursday, January 16, 2014

True Neutral Crew - Call on the Herd / A Few Lights on the Wall


2 very strange tracks by LA label Deathbomb Arc's True Neutral Crew. True Neutral Crew is a "super group" composed of members of Foot Village, I.E., and CLPPNG. Their debut release, the #Monsanto mixtape, has been featured by Impose, the Needle Drop and other publications.

Check out this music video for a preview of the kind of weird you are getting into:
[tlr]

DL

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Moment Trigger / Gaylord Fiend - Futures Over / Morfeen Angels


LA based artists Moment TriggerGaylord Fiend just released this dazzling 2 song split.

Moment Trigger are oddly ecstatic and "Futures Over" will get the party started.

"Morfeen Angels" by Gaylord Fiend is a ritualistic dirge with psychedelic and tribal overtones, drawing comparisons to the work of 80s musicians like Laurie Anderson or Kate Bush.

[tlr]

DL

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Mabson Enterprises - Now That's What I Call Mabson 2013


The latest in Kyle Mabson's series of bizarre pop tribute/parody albums.
Now That's What I Call Mabson 2013 is a ridiculous 62 tracks and features deranged covers and remixes by artists including GRYPT, Bubblegum Octopus, Christopher Danko, Poingly, Laco$te, Damien Blaze (Blok), Party Trash, Margot Pauline Podella (IE, True Neutral Crew), DJ Skull Vomit and more.

[tlr]

DL

Friday, January 10, 2014

Hansel - Crude Matters [DTRASH184]

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After almost five years off the radar, Hansel returns! I received a promo copy of this album from Schizoid (proprietor over at DTrash Records) and was instantly excited. I've been a Hansel fan for 10 years now! Back in 2004 they sent out a hard copy cd "sub atomic particles" for free to people on their mailing list. That act of awesomeness solidified my fandom. Crude Matters does not disappoint.

It so happens my favorite track is probably track one, "One-Bad-Shoulder". It's melancholy synth lines sound as though the synth itself is crying out through delay and decay. A simple yet well written break stumbles prettily along behind it. With 31 songs total "Crude Matters" contains a lot you would not expect from the angst ridden aggressive legacy left by previous Hansel offerings. Vocals don't appear till track three, "We Refuse to Exist", where after being told to "Suck my dick" it appears Hansel hasn't changed too much! Glitched out string arrangements, slightly dirty beats and dark atmospheres all remind of the Hansel I grew to love. While Alan Flux's vocals are well done and the delivery on point, the lyrics are at times adolescent. Couple that with occasional squeals and/or guitar riffs that would fit well in a Marilyn Manson album. That being said its probably why I love Hansel. The combination of hard electronics mixed with sounds that inspire nostalgia because of its reminiscence of metal bands of my youth that combined electronics and hard rock/metal. This may put off some listeners, but I wasn't particularly bothered. There is much to positively balance out those short comings (if short comings they are, depends on your perception and preferences). On "Dividing Red" the song starts off with teenage sounding pleas and accusations filled with sad rage backed mostly by toned down guitar. I particularly like the vocals on this song. It reminds of a dialogue one would have with themselves in a moment of self pity. That is not all there is to "Diving Red". Three quarters of the way through the track, a pitched up sped up beat box break emerges that plays around a crunchy foreground breakbeat and beautiful synth organ outro.

Overall the production is superb. This is a record you listen to on headphones or a good system set up to take full advantage of stereo. Even though there are thirty songs no sound is over used. Every track is at least sonically unique. The vocals stay on the metal side of things. Previous releases like "Sub-Atomic Particles" had vocals that stayed mostly on the a hip hop delivery. One thing noticeably missing on this release is the amen break. This is not a bad thing. The amen is probably the most over used break in music (that coming from a guy who makes breakcore, a genre notorious for its excessive use of the amen). There are moments of psuedo-hip hop. "Halfsharkalligatorman (Dr. Octagon)" is an obvious homage to the great Kool Keith and is executed fantastically. "Leaving the Space Station" also has Alan Flux rapping over a hard drum and bass break. While the use of the amen break is missing, that doesn't mean there aren't parts that get fast and dirty. "Nutmegz" uses beautiful string samples mixed with hard, fast, dirty breaks which back fast distorted aggressive vocals. "Nutmegz" is only a minute and a half long leaving the listener wishing for more. I would have liked to hear it go on longer, but it is followed up quite well with "Time". If Orgy was a digital hardcore outfit it might sound like this. "Time" ends with a well placed harpsichord piece. That combined with the well edited drum and bass breaks that support the whole track, it is easy to think of breakcore masters like Ablecain.

"Crude Matters" is a fairly diverse album, though it does stay within certain barriers. While it is mostly definitely Hansel at heart there is a good amount of experimentation that came out positively. Old paths are retraced and new routes are uncovered. "It's a Shame" shows a less aggressive more vulnerable side to Alan Flux's vocal delivery. "G0odfist" dabbles in the love/hate genre of "Dubstep". A great return release from Hansel all and all. I wish alot of the tracks were longer and more fleshed out. "Soulless Men" is an acoustic track that took me surprise in the most pleasant of ways. The cover of "Eleanor Rigby" titled "Eleanor Big" very much reminds me of the 2000/2001 cover by the goth industrial band Godhead. "Eleanor Rigby" is a song that in my opinion has been covered far too many times.

The production is enviable. And while there is a tad bit of experimentation and exit from Hansel's 'comfort zone', almost every track still is comprised of a few key features. Dark string arrangements, angst ridden vocals, and mid tempo breaks are all key features although they do not appear together on every track. With this release, Hansel's sound has been refined to the point of perfection. I look forward to the next Hansel release. Hopefully they evolve beyond their current template. "Crude Matters" perhaps shows a want of a new direction. It feels like they have done all they can with their present sound but hey, they do it damn well.

DOWNLOAD

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[Metafiziq] V/A - Damaged N Broken

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Fantastic hard music mostly originating from Eastern Europe and supporting that scene. Tracks from artists most of us know such as Stazma the Junglechrist, Goretech, Ruby My Dear, and a whole batch of talented musicians you probably haven't heard of but will be glad of the lifted ignorance once you digest these tasty bits of nasty pretty dirty sometimes awe inspiring electronica.

Personal Rant: Jad Atoui - Leaf Sequence is probably my favorite track on here (besides Gore Tech's dark dirty jungle/breakcore pure awesome offering) and its not just because of the minimally beautiful 'IDM' flavors...... its the sample at the end. Jad Atoui samples Cex. Cex's early 2000's releases "Role Model" and "Oops I Did It Again" are all time favorites of mine. I forget which of these albums Jad Atoui pulls the sample from, but the sample consists of Cex speaking on his perception of music and how he releases it. He essentially says that accessibility is important. That statement is important in this day and age when people are willing to release any old inaccessible garbage they pooped out in their bedroom. I've done it myself. Artistic Quality control is important, you shouldn't be content with releasing anything but your best work. As far as it be accessible to reach the masses as he implies, I would much rather have 1,000 people hear my music than 10, exactly as Cex says. But that is a more personal decision on the part of the artist, whether they care if anyone hears it or not. To elaborate on my previous statement, if you're going to release music and put it in front of people, give them the best you can.

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Thursday, January 9, 2014

cOmaWrek Presentz tha nOdcast (v65) mixed by The Artbreaker (January 9, 2014)

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New nOdcast by our man Decker. In case you aren't familiar, the Nodcast is a series of mixes by various artists for the net label cOmaRecOrdz. The track list is pretty damn awesome. Classics like Unibomber and Davros along with newcomers like b.i.n.t and Ars Dada. Bringing Magicore back with a healthy dose of BREAKCORE (and a lil midwest hardcore mixed in).

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Wednesday, January 8, 2014

V/A - Themeless 6

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MAGICORE IS BACK BAY-BAY! BEEN TOO LONG! To start things back off on the right foot, hes a slammin' compilation from our friends over at Breakcore.NL Music. They've been doing this awesome series called "Themeless" for awhile now and have gotten all the way up to the sixth volume. It kicks off with a crossbreed hardcore ass banger from Rott In Pieces. So much tasty kicks und bass. The pace never really slows save a few moments of reprieve allowing the avid listener to come up for a breath of air and give their head-bang abused necks a rest. These moments are few and far between and are always tension building lead ups to more destruction. Great break edits all around, top notch atmospheres, melodies, and composition. This is a fantastic starting point for anyone who wants to hear what the Hardcore electronic family of genres is about. As Tex-nd (track 3) would say.... "Barbra Streisand!"

DOWNLOAD

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