[USKY010] VΛΑΔ x BunZer0 - Dimension / Misanthropy (review by Jason Nikolaidis)
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Undersky Records
[USKY010] VΛΑΔ x BunZer0 - Dimension / Misanthropy
Upon seeing which artists were collaborating on this release I could not contain my genuine excitement and sheer curiosity over what result they would produce; I was not disappointed. VΛΑΔ of Imaginary Friend fame has consistently produced unique music that evokes a wide range of emotions, including melodies that linger in your mind and allow you to reminisce to whatever memory manifests in the moment, as well as more brooding tracks with a darker trail behind them; musical black holes siphoning the listener into hostile but revelatory dimensions. BunZer0 of course hardly requires an introduction, a highly successful dj and producer, with his recent ‘Darabuka EP’ release on Mindstep Music combining a technical atmosphere with tribal beats, unyielding grooves, and Middle Eastern drones, proving to be a solid release. Together, VΛΑΔ and BunZer0 piece together a sonic fresco that never fails to impress.
1) VΛΑΔ x BunZer0 – Dimension
‘Dimension’ begins with a drawn out dirge-like melody that is melancholic and slowly turns into mystical once the rest of the pads and synths overlap each other. The bass enters in an almost waltz like pattern with the drums, surging with enough power but not detracting from the overall atmosphere of the droning dirge. A chaotic vocal slowly comes into play, panning left and right, as if urging the listener to do something, something beyond their understanding, but suddenly giving up, aptly concluding the tune within the milieu of the unknown and unchartered, the seemingly imperceptible ‘dimension’.
2) VΛΑΔ x BunZer0 – Misanthropy
‘Misanthropy’ is a track that seems to be crafted to alleviate the stress and pent-up anger that one could have after an arduous and disheartening day; you can almost feel the seething atmosphere in the beginning of the track with the panning percussion clanging in your ears, and the rumbling of the drums resembling the slowly turning symbolic cogs of a gruelling day. However, once the main synth is introduced along with the bass, there is almost a detachment, as if you are observing the world from neutral eyes, no longer bound by life’s delirium. The track ends with what sounds almost like a wave slowly washing away, but being interrupted by the loud crashing of metal, perhaps serving as the metaphor of reality rearing back its ugly head.
