Genre/Influences: Psychedelic-Rock, Krautrock, Cinematic.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Scottish female duo Midas Fall strikes back after six years and their previous, great, work “Evaporate”. This is the band’s fifth album.

Content: We get 10 songs taking off with a solid Krautrock-driven piece featuring heavenly, female, vocals. The sound remains pretty Psychedelic but the album is also diversified revealing dreamy, Cinematic, parts while a kind of melancholia emerges from time to time.

+ + + : The album sounds different than “Evaporate” but it remains a great sound experience. The way the songs have been progressively built up and often reaching a true climax has something of a sonic orgasm. The composition is delicate and filled with a deeply, emotional, touch while the guitar play drives the listener to a higher dimension. There are numerous brilliant songs featured at “Cold Waves Divide Us”.

– – – : I can say that all there songs and passages moved me. This is not the most accessible kind of music and yet it holds you in its grip.

Conclusion: Midas Fall strikes back with style and efficiency; it has something of a visionary work.

Best songs: “I Am Wrong”, “Atrophy”, “In The Morning We’ll Be Someone Else”, “Cold Waves Divide Us”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.midasfall.com / www.facebook.com/midasfall

Label: www.monotremerecords.com / www.facebook.com/MonotremeRecords

About Midas Fall

Midas Fall is a duo founded in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2008 by Elizabeth Heaton and Rowan Burn. Monotreme Records has released the band’s albums in order: “Eleven. Return And Revert” (2010), “Wilderness” (2013), “The Menagerie Inside” (2015) and “Evaporate” (2018). “Monsters”, the second single from the follow-up, was accompanied by a video from producer David Gregory of Cineoteric Films. The fifth album, “Cold Waves Divide Us”, was released on 8 March 2024 on Monotreme Records.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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.

www.side-line.com

(Photo by Stephen Alexander) “Monsters” is the second single from “Cold Waves Divide Us”, the fifth studio album from the Scottish trio Midas Fall. You can watch the video below.

Says Elizabeth Heaton: “The monsters I sing about in this song are the intrusive, anxiety ridden thoughts that decide to rear their ugly heads from time to time, especially when you least expect it, just to remind you that you never truly have full control. There is a feeling of defeat and submission in this song, juxtaposed with the idea that the act of writing the words and music itself can be the resolution.”

The single is accompanied by a video from producer David Gregory of Cineoteric Films, featuring the band members. David recounts: “Liz explained to us that the song Monsters came to her during a tough time. Composing it happened quickly and organically as it very much helped get her through it. We wanted to explore the idea that art and specifically music is ever-present. As if we’re conduits to the vibrations around us and we’re pulling the lyrics, music and inspirations directly from our surroundings. Sometimes music reveals itself when we truly need it.”

“Cold Waves Divide Us” will be released on March 8, 2024 digitally, as well as on CD and a limited pressing of 500 LPs on 180g vinyl (150 black, 350 clear with orange and black splatter). The first 50 physical pre-orders from the Monotreme Records web shop will also receive a limited edition printed A5 booklet with images of handwritten lyrics drafts and drawings from Elizabeth Heaton.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Ethereal-pop, heavenly voices, psychedelic, cinematographic.

Background/Info: This is the fourth full length album by the Scottish female duo Elizabeth Heaton – Rowan Burn. Next to the CD- and digital format “Evaporate” will be also available as a strictly limited vinyl release.

Content: Good music is something emotive and that’s precisely what “Evaporate” is a all about. You rapidly will feel entranced by the heavenly, ethereal voices joined by delicate piano playing and uplifting guitar parts. The dreamy sensation is accentuated by the delicate sound arrangements. The tracklist is progressively evolving, revealing the best cuts during the final part. “Evaporate” now becomes emotional and pretty cinematographic as well.

+ + + : This album reveals an artistic elegance accomplished by talented and sensitive artists. I don’t know if it’s because of the ‘female touch’, but the songs reflect such a delicacy you get the impression music sounds like porcelain. It’s a brilliant, but fragile composition carried by masterful vocals. It’s the kind of vocal parts that would perfectly fit to the sound of Delerium. But a good singer is nothing without great music! And “Evaporate” reveal a great writing, perfectly matching with the emotions running through this work. It’s not only about meticulous and detailed arrangements, but also the alluring guitar parts, which sometimes remind me of U2.

– – – : I don’t have real minus points about this creation, which says something more about the qualitative level of “Evaporate”.

Conclusion: I already heard great music composed by Midas Fall, but “Evaporate” is the kind of opus magnum an artist released once in a lifetime.

Best songs: “Glue”, “In Sunny Landscapes”, “Bruise Pusher”, “Evaporate”, “Soveraine”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.midasfall.com / www.facebook.com/midasfall

Label: www.monotremerecords.com / www.facebook.com/MonotremeRecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

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.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Post-shoegaze, gothronica, ethereal-psy-rock.

Content: The 3rd full length by this UK formation originally founded in 2009 in Edinburgh (Scotland) is a beautiful surprise.

The 4 headed band gracefully led by singer Elizabeth Heaton reveals a hard to define masterpiece. Multiple influences are running through this work. There’s a non-stop twist between rock- & psychedelic-like guitar parts, electronic arrangements and ethereal inspired vocal parts. Midas Fall defines their music as ‘post-shoegaze’ and ‘gothronica’, which is more revealing about their influences instead of their genre. Music doesn’t necessary belong to an established genre and especially when the result is that outstanding.

“The Menagerie Inside” is a truly coup de force in its global production and inspiration. The sound is refined and often moving towards real climaxes, which are mainly accomplished by genius guitar playing. Together with the sublime vocal parts it elevates the work towards an orgasmic sound experience.

There are no songs to throw away. From the very first notes of the first song you’ll discover the heavenly sound universe refined by piano arrangements and the passionate, ethereal like female vocals.

The next few songs reveal phenomenal guitar parts, which are a little less psychedelic-like. There’s a beautiful symbiosis between music and vocals. It’s all a part of reverie and the kind of composition that would be fine for a soundtrack experience.

Right in the midst of the work you’ll discover 2 unique masterpieces. “Low” is an outstanding song, which will bring you to an ultimate apotheosis when guitar, drums and vocals are merging together. It sounds fragile and transcendental. “The Morning Asked And I Said No” even goes a step further. The guitar play left me breathless for its sensational psychedelic consonance, which reminds me now and then to softer U2 songs. This song would be a brilliant title song for a soundtrack. The climax is elevating you towards an unknown musical dimension, which brings you happiness.”Tramadol Baby” coming up next is one more outstanding song revealing similar elements and artistic beauty.

After such masterpieces the album never stagnates, but remains fascinating until the end. The influences are constantly melting together in a beautiful mould of musical creativity. “A Song Built From Scraps Of Paper” is progressively reaching an ultimate climax while I now more enjoyed the delicacy of the piano playing.

Conclusion: Midas Fall is certainly not the most familiar name, but I can assure you that their new opus has the grace and beauty to make them immortal. This is without a shadow of a doubt one of the most poignant and artistic albums of 2015!

Best songs: “The Morning Asked And I Said No”, “Low”, “A Song Built From Scraps Of Paper”, “Tramadol Baby”, “Afterthought”, “Circus Performer”.

Rate: (DP:9)DP.

Band: www.midasfall.com / www.facebook.com/midasfall

Label: www.monotremerecords.com / www.facebook.com/MonotremeRecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

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.

www.side-line.com