V/A Belgium Experimental Underground 017 Survey (Digital Album – Unexplained Sound Group)
Genre/Influences: Experimental, dark-ambient, cinematographic, industrial, ritual.
Background/Info: Italian label Unexplained Sound Group is used to familiarizing us with compilations based on the underground scene of one ‘target’ country. The label now invites us to visit the experimental scene from my own country featuring 26 (!) Belgian bands. The sampler saw the light of day thanks to the contribution of Peter Verwimp who’s active in different formations and featured on this new series by Ashtoreth.
Bands: Barts + Treha Sektori, Yannick Franck, Ripit, Hybryds, Ashtoreth, TraumaSutra, Fissures, Innerwoud, Aponogeton, Owann, TZII, Stratosphere ao.
Content: The titled indicates a vision on the ‘experimental’ scene, but this sampler has much more to offer. It’s a travel throughout the most hidden and unknown projects active on the Belgian underground soil. The common ground between all bands is the dark creation of their work, which can be dark-ambient for some, somewhat ritual for others, into cinematographic exposures for some, even minimal-electro like for a few ones and definitely experimental for the rest.
+ + + : The strength of this sampler is its diversity in styles, and also the discovery of unknown bands. You really have to be addicted to experimental underground music to have ever heard of all those bands. Well, that’s precisely what makes the compilation essential for people like me. It’s a kind of sonic documentary revealing several sonic treasures. The biggest treasures –even in music, are not always that far to find. It would take me too long analyzing all of the bands, but I’ve been seduced by anguishing opener by Barst + Treha Sektori, the haunting style of Yannick Franck, the minimal approach from Ripit, the always ritual-sounding Hybryds, the pure filmographic Innerwoud, the subtle treatments from TZII, the minimalism and oriental driven Massimo Amato + Cheri Gao + Peter Wullen and another experiment by Trauma Terrestrial.
– – – : This kind of sampler remains a truly experimental release accessible for a very restricted number of music lovers. Some cuts are very experimental and not always my cup of tea while 26 songs is a sonic orgy you can better avoid if you’re not into this extreme underground format.
Conclusion: Unexplained Sound Group is not the most familiar label from the underground scene although one of the most interesting ones I got the opportunity to discover. This is a label inciting the listener to purchase new bands discovered on this kind of conceptual sampler.
Best bands: Hybryds, Barst + Treha Sektori, Innerwoud, TZII.
Rate: (7½).
Label: www.facebook.com/unexplainedsoundsgroup
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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.
