V/A Аргандаб (Cassette Album – UIS Label)
Genre/Influences: Experimental, industrial, dark-ambient.
Background/Info: UIS is a Russian independent label, which has released a very special compilation featuring 12 bands from Russia, Italy and Denmark. Each artist dedicated his track to the tragic events of the war in Afghanistan in between 1979-1989. A part of the edition was spread on the streets of Kabul in 2017.
Artists: DOR, Mata, Project Hypoxia, Haraam, Shri Badat, Svart1, Ajuleg & Irma o.
Content: We definitely can speak about a conceptual release featuring pure underground projects dealing with different music styles. There’s an interesting diversity in the tracklist, which is moving from somewhat mystic passages to pure ambient music to experimental tracks to ethereal like music to industrial sounds. Several cuts feature Eastern-like influences.
+ + + : I especially like the concept of this tape. Sound-wise “Аргандаб” will give you the opportunity to discover less familiar –and to me totally unknown, artists. I noticed a few interesting names such as Mata, Project Hypoxia and Shri Badat.
– – – : This is pure underground music released on cassette so it will be not that easy to put your hand on this compilation, but at the other side I recommend to discover this compilation on Bandcamp.
Conclusion: There are interesting compilations with this good-old underground taste reminding me of the early hours of experimental- and industrial music during the 80s.
Best bands: Mata, Project Hypoxia, Shri Badat, KRRAU & Σολομών.
Rate: (7).
Label: https://vk.com/uislabel / www.facebook.com/uislabel
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I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
