V/A Music for Abandoned Cold War Places (Album – ZeroK)
Genre/Influences: Dark-Cinematographic, Dark-Ambient, Experimental.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: ZeroK is a sub-division of the Italian label Unexplained Sounds Group. This compilation is a conceptual release inspired –as indicated in the title, by abandoned Cold War places. Twelve artists have been invited to re-create the particular ambiance hanging over these places.
Artists: Grey Frequency, Joel Gilardini, HLER, Phalioo, Kloob, Super8musik, SILENI, Psiconic Asylum, vÄäristymä, Jeton Hoxha, WILT and Chronodepth.
Content: The twelve tracks are very efficient in their genre, but especially in the creation of the sphere we might all imagine hanging over such places of despair. Most of the compositions create a Cinematographic impression. It’s a ghost-like experience, sounding rather apocalyptic and minimalistic. Cold electro signals and diversified field recordings are progressively awakening the imagination of the listener.
+ + + : The theme serving as concept has clearly inspired most of the artists. It has been reinforced by some of the track titles like “Pripyat”, “Checkpoint Charlie”, “Decommissioned Architecture” and “Doomsday Clock”. I instantly got the sensation watching a documentary about the desolation of Chernobyl after the nuclear accident. Life has been taken away and replaced by an eternal silence. But this silence is constantly disturbed by natural elements like wind, water. Icy electronic signals and dark sound waves create a ghost-like effect; the sensation of visiting a ghost town, which is perfectly illustrated by the front cover of the album. My favorite cuts are the ones by vÄäristymä, Joel Gilardini and WILT. This compilation also is an opportunity to discover less familiar artists.
– – – : Some passages are a little less too Experimental to my taste, but globally speaking this compilation creates a compact result.
Conclusion: This compilation sounds as a true sonic documentary; you get the music and have to imagine the story.
Best bands: vÄäristymä, Joel Gilardini, WILT, Phalioo, Psionic Asylum.
Rate: (7½).
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