Dead Melodies – The Masterplan (Album – Cryo Chamber)
Genre/Influences: Dark-cinematographic, dark-ambient.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: British composer Tom Moore has already unleashed a new work emerging from his artistic spirit. “The Masterplan” is an album inviting the listener to join ‘a dystopian future where cybernetic hacking has wiped most of the population, an overgrown world painted with dark drones’.
Content: The theme that has inspired this work is different, but sound-wise Dead Melodies is holding on to its familiar and beloved elements. The work is a new sonic voyage through the dark realms. The use of field recordings –featuring familiar aquatic noises, mixed with chilling electronic layers and a few drones in the background are the main essence of the work. You here and there will notice some ghost-like whispers, which are matching with the concept. It creates a sensation of paranoia, which is a feeling I already experienced listening to Dead Melodies. More sounds make me think of guitar effects or something like that.
+ + + : There always is a kind of duality running through the work of Tom Moore; I like this sonic twist between evasive passages and truly disturbing parts. The tracks are progressively built up and I mainly like the extra noises and effects that have been added on top of the work. The album features 8 cuts, but especially the first part is noticeable, “Temporal Interference” and “Trojan Infiltration” being the highlights.
– – – : I’m not as convinced by the four last cuts from the work, which didn’t reach a similar climax. I’m still expecting a little bit more diversity in the tracklist.
Conclusion: “The Masterplan” is the right sonic exposure of an imaginary, dystopian story that has been translated into music creation. You get the sounds and just have to create your own images and perception! All I can say is that it works fine!
Best songs: “Temporal Interference”, “Trojan Infiltration”, “Electrical Sensory”.
Rate: (7½).
Artist: www.facebook.com/thedeadmelodies
Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com / www.facebook.com/CryoChamber
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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.
