V/A Drone Islands / The Lost Maps (Album – Eight Tower Records)

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, drone, cinematographic, experimental.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: This album features thirteen artists dealing with music influences related to dark-ambient, drone, cinematographic and related genres.

Artists: Rapoon, Troum, Autopsia, Schloss Tegal, Tunnels Of Ah, Alphaxone ao.

Content: Eight Tower Records (subdivision of Unexplained Sounds Group) invites the listener to a sonic travel where darkness is King. There’s an interesting mix between established, great names and a few ‘new’ ones. They all bring an interesting twist of dark music moving from heavy sound treatments towards pure experimentalism/minimalism driven by field recordings to dark evasive passages into the realms of cinematic music.

+ + + : This compilation reveals a great sound production, which I especially noticed on the tracks by Rapoon and Gaspar Peralta –who’s one of those ‘new’, but talented artists featured on the sampler. The track by Simon Balestrazzi is another attention grabber for the mix of cello-like sounds together with metallic noises and vocals’ effects lost in space. Taphephobia is one of the noticeable formations in the cinematographic style, but my absolute favorite track is the one by Martyria. I discovered this Greek project by their debut album released on Malignant Records. They’ve been featured here with a track that makes me think of a haunted version of Ennio Morricone.

– – – : The biggest names from the compilation aren’t maybe featured with the best cuts.

Conclusion: This is a sampler with a great sound production featuring visionary and diversified artists.

Best bands: Martyria, Gaspar Peralta, Taphephobia, Rapoon, Simon Balestrazzi, Troum.

Rate: (8).

Label: www .facebook .com /eighthtowerrecord

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