The Sand Rays – Remembered Vol.1 (CD Album – Zhelezobeton)

Genre/Influences: Experimental, soundscape, dark-ambient.

Background/Info: Jim DeJong has been involved with The Infant Cycle in between 1992 and 2014. He next went on as The Sand Rays releasing a few EP’s. “Remembered Vol.1” is a collection of these EP-tracks released on CD format.

Content: Jim DeJong composed his music as a truly experimentalist. Using different instruments and noises his work remains pretty soundtrack-minded. You feel like entering an imaginary universe made of dark and wet cellars. Resonating sound waves and other deep humming vibrations are bringing the listener into a frightening experience.

+ + + : I like the visual strength of the work, which is a characteristic, but still a reference for this kind of music. You get the impression walking throughout a dark labyrinth of cellars without finding the exit. The sound universe features cool industrial noises joined by field recordings and manipulated electronics. The low sound frequencies are literally bouncing deep in your throat, which is a requested feeling when discovering this kind of music.

– – – : I regret some monotonous passages while there’s no real highlight. I got the impression there’s much more potential hiding in The Sand Rays than what I’ve heard on this work.

Conclusion: I can’t affirm to have been fully satisfied listening to this album although I’ll go on supporting Zhelezobeton which never stops to make me discovering interesting productions.

Best songs: “Something Sure Smells Fishy About Sandra Y.!”, “Pingray 2”.

Rate: 6).

Artist: www .thesandrays .com / www .facebook .com /theinfantcycle

Label: www .zhb .radionoise .ru / www .facebook .com /zhbrecords

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