POST ROCK/MATH ROCK

On Trace, their second full-length release, this Quebecois quintet lean into the dark, jagged rhythms of bands like Joy Division and Wire while mixing these influences with the complexity and technicality of math rock. Ample synthesizers, inventive melodies, and nonlinear song structures add to their prog bona fides.

"A Heretic of Arrogance", the album's opener, is full of dark and moody keys. The guitars alternatingly slash, anxiously slink along, and soar with the best that post-rock has to offer. This song almost feels as if it could be the backdrop for some grim sci-fi film with its tense atmosphere and gradual build.

The two-part "Pawn to King" is a study in musical contrasts. The first half glides along at a slow tempo, with  an echoed ambiance and dispirited lyrics. Part two, though, opens with irregular, high-energy guitars in a jumpy, stuttering rhythm. Around the midway point, it becomes a punky, buzzing hard-rocker. This pair of songs is a fantastic showcase for the band's skills as both songwriters and instrumentalists.

"Dry Ice" is another highlight, featuring a jazzy, funky feeling which almost reminds me of jam bands like Aqueous or Umphrey's McGee. The song closes on an extended instrumental section which includes descending guitar and synth lines, backed with a brass section. The clear standout from this album, though, is the closing "New Folds". It's the most consistently-aggressive song on the album, with some of its most overt punk influences, and the outro very effectively builds an eerie feeling.

Not everything on this album necessarily works.  The two shortest songs on the album, "Sometimes All You Need Is" and "Hold On", feel unnecessary. I can understand the ideas behind them ? palette cleansers before longer pieces ? but they meander unimpressively. "Captain Colair" has a decent second half, but it takes a long time to get going. Much of that first half (and some of the second) feels like an unimaginative retread of a lot of post-rock.

Traces is a strong album which manages to successfully blend the sounds of progressive rock and post-punk. Flashes of math rock, psychedelic rock, and post-rock show up here and there, and Atsuko Chiba's use of texture is quite skillful.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2019/04/21/albums-review-atsuko-chiba-trace/

Their latest album sounds veiled in an incredible dark collision of heavy post rock and dready electronika. Such an eccentric combination cannot be heard so easily and would be recognized as an innovative movement in another sense. The first shot "reducing the grain." tells you everything around the current CMPBTGSYGM, flooded with (con)fusion of electronic dissonance, guitar-oriented post-rock distortion, and beautiful tragic melody lines by the keyboard. This novel noble harmonization would remind you of a sort of similarity to a Japanese psychedelic feedback pioneer Les Rallizes D'nud's, dunno CMPBTGSYGM are following them though. And sounds partially like recent Ulver (at least for me). Quite unique but not unpleasant at all. You can be drenched in violent dissective sound cracks through the following track "individuals double-crossing or not, cry myself to sleep". Deep inorganic infernal soundquakes sound sarcastic but even lyrical and comfortable. For them to be simpler the soundscape is, to be better it may be. "to find a purpose in an ever absurd world" is also dry and withered, but melodic discharges in the middle phase are so elegant and essential enough to absorb you completely. Such a charming tip is one of their great viewpoints. After "waking up", a monotonous noisy interlude, "angels stuck in hell, forever is one of the flood." drives you into another crazy dimension. Magnificent sound dissonance gives you a wondrous impact. A mystic freeform sound / noise hotchpotch could really catch your inner mind strictly, regardless of kinda machinery monotone. Just like black water oozing through their sound cracks, this song will venomize you in an auditory manner.

Ha ha, a Finnish post rock mavericks CMPBTGSYGM have grown to be de...err...upgraded to another electronic noise champ.

Look at the first shot title "La Rehumanización de la Vida", wonder what is 'rehumanization', and give it a listen. Delightful. Really delightful. No depressive impression is given for you. Their melody lines are quite enchanting. The rhythmic polarity by Membrives and Jorge is a bit complicated but smooth and silky. Simultaneously the soundscape especially in the middle part is deep, heavy, and magnificent like Malbec-based Argentine red wine. Sarra's keyboard plays are so brilliant and beautiful enough to excite you much. Clear blue sky-like delight from the beginning until the end is pretty amazing. The following "Goliadkin" is another powerful song, featuring strict repetitive phrases performed by two phantasmagoric guitars and sensitive keyboards. Difficult, aggressive but sincere drumming is also crazy good. This tightness would be rather heartwarming. On the contrary, "Hologramas" has kinda characteristic of calm, slowtempo, and broad-minded vibes. Kaleidoscopic melodic transition is mystic and joyful. Delicious keyboard sounds in the latter part stabilize your inner mind. You can find another mathy-psychedelic moment in "Cenizas Desde Temprano" that has sorta atmospheric texture different from other tracks especially in the former site and involves catchy fantasia in the latter. Such a conversion should be a love. "Antorcha" flavours serious and hard-touched. Sounds like Antorcha blazes so hard at first and is going out gradually. Slightly tragic. And what a dramatic epilogue "Del Litoral" is ... just like a complete compilation of NNN, all instruments shout and cry and get unificated in the final phrase.

Their positivity definitely gives you additional energy.

The list of those involved is shown on the rear of the booklet in alphabetical order, and David has put himself in there as opposed to placing himself above the others, and apart from the line saying it was written and produced by David one would not know this was a solo album with guests. Now, it is all very good having a list of famous names, but it all comes down to the music, and as is my way I played this long before I looked at the press release. Although I was sent the CD it was just piled next to my computer to be put onto a playlist, so I am literally now just looking at it for the first time. I had no idea that so many people were involved, nor that it was a project where most of the recording was undertaken separately (David says he often wasn't in the same country at the time, let alone the same studio), as there is a feeling of togetherness about this which is sublime. Talk Talk and Pink Floyd combine in something which is both post rock and progressive, yet also has strong links to ambient, with some delicious lead guitars over the top of the layers, often acoustic as well as electric. It is music which does not work well when being played in a loud environment as this is something which needs to be savoured with headphones as there is so much going on. However, although complex there is also an innate simplicity within this which makes it quite special.

Not every musician plays on every track, but the editing and mastering process must have been intense as this has a majesty and magic about it, such as the trumpet towards the end of "The Tree Of Life" which is just perfect. This album is one which will appear to those who wish to sit and really listen to music as in that respect this is wonderful, while fans of Talk Talk in particular will do well to seek this out.

I am all for bands progressing and changing and will reserve my overall judgement until I have had the opportunity to listen to the album, but this is not something I ever expected to hear from TFATD, although I am sure it will gain them a much wider commercial audience.

The first track "Autómatas" features delicate psychedelic keyboard touches and complex but smooth, silky drumming. We the audience will get veiled in such a dreamy flavour. The latter phase is full of space-rock-ish dramatic navigations. Repetitive, highly potential guitar-based sound trajectories are bewitching really. Cool clean watery vibes are quite optimistic, appropriate for the current tough situation all over the world. "Todas Las Líneas" is slightly dissonant and melty but pretty persuasive and energetic. Deeply in the song are sincere, tranquil charms like a powerful magnet. The final part has utterly translunary psychedelia to excite us gradually. "Saeta" is mystically passionate with charming synthesizer-oriented brass-y sounds. Jorge and Mariano's rhythmic patterns full of passion are crazy immersive. The epilogue "Últimas Imágenes Del Océano" is the longest song in this album but a supra-tense complicated sound kaleidoscope completely catches our heart. The last fragile piano plays are somewhat tragic ...

At any rate, it's a shame they are under hibernation currently. Wondering if their intention would have been too higher than expected.

On the other hand you will be driven to do something important in your future "While The World Sleeps". That says everyone should think and go into action regardless of the current deadlock circumstance. The following "Hardly Even Here" (one of my favourite songs in this creation) you can enjoy beautiful and gorgeous psychedelia. Tranquil, quiet, and delightful combination of dissonant guitar-based atmosphere and brilliant keyboard-oriented passion relieve and stabilize your inner mind. The epilogue "Long May Reign" is another terrific stuff full of magnificence and enthusiasm launched via their impressive instrumental delivery. Downtempo shoegaze-y sound expressions cannot discourage you but give a large amount of nutritious supplement. They would say people all over the world are suffering but keep holding dreams and hopes eternally.

Do not forget the first shot "Third" that should encourage and activate you carefully. Delicate keyboard playing based upon guitar distortion is fascinating. You can get immersed in their flowery, flavourful, aromatic sound unification. Actually I consider this excellent work would be appropriate both for the prologue and for the epilogue. Ultimate energy from Finland.

Sunbath is a slow start to the album. Moody and a bit dragging. Luckily, the speed picks up a bit beyond halfway. But this last a minute or so. 7/10

So much for is another slow track but with a bit more dynamics this time. But it doesn't impress me that much. 7/10

Shook (I'm often) again is a bit dragging for my taste. Nothing really special happens here for me 6.5/10

Seeds is not for my taste. It is too uneventful. Some may like this. I have other interests. 6.5/10

Link is the most vicious and therefore interesting track. But it is also by far the shortest 7.5/10

Water, It feels like it's growing drags on a bit too long for my taste. It is pleasant enough, but never does it touch me. It reminds me of the much greater work of 50 years ago. 7/10

This is an OK album, not nothing really special. 2 stars.