6th Circle – The Idle Construct (Album – Sonic Groove Experiments)
Genre/Influences: EBM.
Format: Digital.
Background/Info: Based in Columbus, Ohio (USA), Matt Auxier has been involved with different bands and music styles. In 2017 he set up his solo-project 6th Circle as a move back to his early passion for EBM. “The Idle Construct” is his second album and the first one released on Sonic Groove Experiments.
Content: The opening cut is characterized by spooky vocals, but quite rapidly you indeed will notice the love of this musician for good-old EBM. The album sounds a bit like travelling back to the 80s; the origins of EBM. Most of the songs remind me of the early, dark EBM style of Frontline Assembly. The songs are danceable without becoming hard, but supported with a dark atmosphere evoking the icy 80s years of Electronic- and Wave music.
+ + + : This production is pure old-school like and even if it brings nothing new, it first of all stands for great EBM. There’s a right balance between the overwhelming, dark atmospheres and solid EBM bass lines. Icy bleeps and ghost-like vocals are achieving this retro-styled production. This work brings the true spirit of EBM to life and that’s also because of the analogue-like effects and sound treatments. There’s something to say about nearly every single song, “Deviant” being my personal favorite one. This song reflects the raw sound approach of 6th Circle.
– – – : This is the kind of production deserving your attention so I hope this album will not fall into anonymity.
Conclusion: 6th Circle is a great surprise for all lovers of retro-EBM. This is an album I highly recommend although it’s not available in a physical format.
Best songs: “Deviant”, “Sanctuary”, “SAGW”, “Traces”, “Lost”.
Rate: (8).
Artist: www.facebook.com/6thcircle666
Label: www.sonicgroove.com / www.facebook.com/Sonicgrooverecords
About 6th Circle
6th Circle is the solo-project of American artist Matt Auxier, based in Columbus, Ohio, set up in 2017 as a return to his early passion for EBM. The project released its debut album “The Third Estate” in 2019 on Sentient Ruin Laboratories.
“The Idle Construct” (2020) followed as the second 6th Circle album and the project’s first release on Adam X’s Sonic Groove Experiments imprint.
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