Dalek - Respect To The Authors

Dalek have always been one of those distinctly weird bands who seem to ride the lightning between a broad variety of sounds, and somehow make it work. Rather than sounding like a deranged hodgepodge they are a band who focus on transcendent and dark vibes. While the music is rooted in hip hop, the band brings a lot more to the table. This is music that is distinctly weird and will raise questions. It's music that is going to confuse the listener and demand your full attention as you try to wrap your head around it.

Intentionally dense, this twelve inch EP is a tour exclusive that will go along with the bands dates in Europe around Roadburn. It might seem weird to the uninitiated that Dalek would be going out to play such an esoteric festival, but the kings of alt hip hop are a perfect fit. The weird and twisted vibes that come out with every component of Respect To The Authors speaks to just how powerful this duo is. With rhymes bouncing off each other continually hinting at much more urban roots, the record is drenched in powerful atmospheres. This is a hip hop record that the most devout black metal fan could get lost in.

Esoteric in its own way and unafraid to lead the listener down all sorts of twisted paths Dalek have done something here that can both make your skin crawl and bring a smile to your face. If you are willing to embrace the weirdness, it's fascinating to hear the level of creativity these Jersey boys are able to bring decades into their career. Borrowing from all sides of the electronic spectrum and continually pushing towards darker depths, Respect To The Authors is a mesmerizing listen that you don't want to miss.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/dalekmusic/

Great Lakes Feather Company

Great Lakes Feather Company is a unique synthrock band whose very alternative sound is easy to get lost in as it revels in unique musical twists and turns that one wouldn't expect to see coming. While not metal by any stretch of the imagination there are still a lot of cool ideas here which make Great Lakes Feather Company worth checking out. The way they fuse ambient sounds with more traditional hip hop sections really gets me and I especially dig Neptune for that. The generally progressive nature of a lot of the longer songs is cool to and belies the virtuosity of the composers. An important thing to note is that there are a lot of guest stars on their records, this helps to give their music a unique diversity that you don't find in modern pop music. It also means that every song has its own unique twist (because of the different musicians performing on it) thus really keeping things exciting and engaging. So if you're looking for a fresh new alt hip hop act with cool ideas that could change the genre then I strongly recommend you check out these guys!

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/GreatLakesFeatherCompany

Steve N-Ready to Strip

So the guys at Panic Records are back with another solid rap release, this time from one of the record companies employees Steve Nunn (or Steve N). A solid three and a half minute long piece based over a rather gangster rap influenced synth loop. Interestingly enough, the bombast of the track is distinctly reminiscent of Iron Maiden. I find the vocals to be fairly solid and show an expertise in the genre. I particularly like the Three Six Mafia flavor that the drums have, they are stripped back yet very well implemented. They give the piece a solid forward motion. In conclusion, this is a tasty gangster rap song that shows a lot of promise and makes me look forward to seeing what Steve N puts out in the future!

Check it out on Soundcloud!
https://soundcloud.com/panicstudiorecords/ready-to-strip-by-steve-n-at

WVM-The End is Only the Beginning

The neo-pop monster of WVM is back with a new EP entitle The End is Only the Beginning. You may remember them from THIS review I did a while back. With guest appearances of current ex-members of Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson  and a Perfect Circle among other acts this EP has lots of star power. Now WVM has recently released a sneak peak of his new EP. All I can say is that you had better be psyched, regular readers know that I am by no means a pop/electro guy, yet this groups' dark blend of sounds is something that you can not easily forgot. So, go check out their facebook page and get ready because the new EP will rip your head off!
https://www.facebook.com/WVMOfficial

Brunettes Shoot Blondes

Brunettes Shoot Blondes is an interesting band that combines electric elements and beats from the club with a bit of a rock edge. This creates an interesting combination of fusiony rhythms filled with lots of weird synth fills. This band really has a solid overall sound and it features some pretty impressive musicianship. The vocals have a pretty classic pop punk feel to them but when combined with the electronica elements the music is spiced up a bit. Overall this band is just an interesting mix of genres that create a unique sound that is rather hard for a simple metalhead like me to describe. Suffice to say, that with rather hooky melodies and lots of catchy beats I could easily see Brunettes Shoot Blondes becoming a reasonably big band in the future. So if you are at all interested in pop/rock (in a literal sense) then maybe you want to go check these guys out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQDaOYc_rOw

SIINES

SIINES is an awesome house and roll band combining at once the coolness of Motley Crue and the electronic virtuosity of Daft Punk. The synth loops are intense with powerful loops that feature almost djent rhythms. There is a definite dubstep influence as well with a few bass drops in songs like Sex on the Dance Floor. The rhythms are intense and feature a lot of powerful thudding bass lines that are oddly satisfying. They are just heavy enough to make the music more brutal than most pop, yet light enough that they could be played in any dance club. They have achieved a very interesting balance their. Finally we have the vocals, and lord do I love them. Even if the lyrics cover typical pop subject material they are so much more extreme. With graphic depictions of sex and a roaring vocal style this music is a lot more intense and dramatic than most hip hop. In conclusion SIINES has done the impossible, they have made a hip hop recording that I really dig.

So go and listen to them!

https://www.facebook.com/SIIINES

Neveready

So now I am reviewing a Hip-Hop Ska band called Neveready. The music is primarily hip hop influenced however the ska feel adds a lot to the music and makes it better than your generic pop. The horn section is excellent, it creates a big band type feel and it does an impressive job imitating hip hop music. The guitar is okay but its not very technically skilled its typically chord based. The bass is actually really cool there are some cool bass lines that makes this music kind of unique. The lyrics are fairly standard hip hop fare however there is no autotune so I guess its okay. The lyrics are also pretty interesting and not the standard hip hop stuff. Overall this is a decent band with a sound that is unique and takes hip hop in a different direction. It is surprisingly cool. I would recommend checking them out.

OVERALL 7/10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iv70hJc9cQ