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Sunday, February 28, 2021

Cuts - Unreal [Village Green Recordings 067]

Released in early December 2k20 via Village Green Recordings as their cat.no. 067 is "Unreal", the latest album outing created by musician and filmmaker Anthony Tombling Jr for the label. As many contemporary albums made throughout, perceived in and inspired by an extended period of a COVID-19 induced lockdown as well as other political and societal shifts observed by Tombling and described by himself as '... the heaviest record I've made...' "Unreal" clocks in at eight tracks and 38 minutes runtime, opening with the gnarly, bass-heavy, highly digital and Rhythm Industrial-leaning cut "R U OK?" which could cause havoc on Dubstep-infused dancefloors as well whilst the subsequent "Dissolution" amalgamates elastic, complex (Electro)Phonk structures with dreamy HyperPop vocals and ethereal, panoramic synth works for advanced peak time settings. The title track "Unreal" presents more of a dreamy, 4/4-induced derivative of Melodic TechHouse sporting more autotuned vocal bits, "Omega Minus" is on a deep, solemn and inward looking IDM meets Future Bass Music / Post-Whatever tip whilst "Sheltered Life", reflecting on the circumstances of the albums production in its title, provides an Electronica version of Dope Beats as dry as possible whilst brooding subs, off-kilter synths and uberly compressed beats bordering distortion mode cause a feel of imminent horror and post-apocalyptic unease. Furthermore "The Brink" sonically depicts the state of society as a somewhat desolate, yet strangely hopeful HyperPop ballad for hard, codeine-sipping introverts, "Exhale Exile" is in for more expertly sculpted, hard hitting Bass Music / Industrial Step and surreal, hyperchromatic melodies reminiscent of tunes crafted by producers like Ikonika and the likes of before the final cut forecasts and foreshadows "An Infinite Collaps" caused by an overdose of distinct SlowHouse grooves. Highly recommended, this.

Album artwork on Instagram!

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