Mandivula – Nonsense (CD Album – Dal Recordings)
Genre/Influences: Minimal-electronics, krautrock.
Background/Info: There’s not a lot of information available about Mandivula. The solo-project likes certain anonymity, but seems to be located in the Southern part of Europe. “Nonsense” appears to be the artist’s debut album featuring seven cuts.
Content: There clearly is a minimal-electro approach running through the work, which has been mixed with krautrock elements. I also noticed a few psychedelic passages. The cuts are rather short. The work is progressively evolving towards darker atmospheres while the compositions remain instrumentals.
+ + + : “Nonsense” reveals an interesting merge between different electronic elements creating a refreshing touch. I like the sound-minimalism, which also has something vintage like through the analogue-like sound treatments. I also enjoyed the work’s darkness and hypnotic effects. “Austerity” is a sublime piece of music where the atmosphere perfectly reflects the title of the song.
– – – : I noticed one forgettable song (cf. “Grey”) that I think it could be interesting to mix a few sampled- or real vocal lines in some songs.
Conclusion: Mandivula appears to be a real DIY artist, which is an element I support, but it also is an interesting discovery for electro tasters.
Best songs: “Austerity”, “My Spine”, “Disease”, “Void”.
Rate: (7½).
Artist: www.facebook.com/thisismandivula
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.
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.
