Poltergeists is a biweekly feature in which Michael and Wes share tracks that they have had on repeat over the past two weeks.
Michael
Distel - “Nothing to Mend”
I have written about Distel before, but this album is particularly interesting and deserves to be pushed. The second full-length album from the Dutch project comes with a theme - Autumn and funereal moods - two things that are particularly relevant this time of year. Zand, when compared to their first album, is equally as unique and interesting, but with a touch of the morose. The entire album plays on deep analogue textures and subtle percussions. There are no real extreme moments, which I think makes for a stronger and more in-depth album. “Nothing to Mend” begins with a plucky, simplistic progression and builds with deep bass elements and wind-like pads coming in and out of the mix. There are a lot of witch house and analogue electronic textures that are familiar in this track, but it still manages to keep with the unique and subtle tones of the entire album.
Ulvesang - “The Purge”
You all don’t know this yet, but one of the biggest influences for the music that I am working on now has been neofolk. I have written about a few neofolk bands here, Musk Ox and Disemballerina, and Ulversang falls in there with my favorites. “The Purge” is a collection of field recordings and acoustic orchestrations. The different parts fit so well within each other, creating wonderful melodies and a complex architecture of sound. There is a part about a minute in that introduces a soft male chant that I think is really impactful to the track.
Wes
Sci Fi Sol - “Twist Her”
I’m really digging the sort of sinister feel to this song. The soft, effected vocals mixed with the slowly rolling bass line and an almost heart beat kick make this song feel like it’s moving at you, slowly walking you down. The percussion is heavy, and somehow manages to sound aggressive while being totally unaggressive. It just pounds away, creating a feeling of insecurity through consistent, slow attack.
Everything about how this song is put together feels really thought out and pared back. There are no elements that don’t feel like they they are needed; it almost feels brutalist in a way; it is raw, minimal and cold.
Dolor - “Entruder”
Ever since Brant of ∆AIMON wrote about Dolor, I’ve been hooked on the stuff. The bass Dolor achieves sounds so clean and clear. It rolls along, punctuated by wonderfully constructed little snare rolls and snaps. I love how the vocals in the song seem to be used more as an instrument than as vocals; due to the heavy reverb and processing, they seem to provide sort of an atmosphere to play against the bass and percussion, achieving almost the effect that a pad might have in a more traditional construction. I’d love to see another EP or album from Dolor; hopefully this new track is a sign of new things to come.