V/A F.Y.E.O. Selected Frequencies Volume II (Digital Album – Reverse Alignment)
Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, industrial, experimental.
Background/Info: Swedish label Reverse Alignment is focused on music styles such as dark-ambient-, experimental-, industrial- and drone music. This sampler features a selection of 13 formations active at the wider fields of the aforementioned genres. It also is a fine selection from renowned- and upcoming bands plus a few little surprises.
Bands: Alphaxone, Xerxes The Dark, Emerge, Hoarfrost, Ajna & Dronny Darko, Solemn Embrace, Freiband ao.
Content: This sampler reveals a nice sonic palette of different formations dealing with ‘darker’ music styles. There’s an interesting progression in the tracklist featuring a few great exposures.
+ + + : I like the diversity of the sampler, but also the global quality of the tracks. Reverse Alignment really made a fine selection resulting in noticeable contributions. I was impressed by the anguishing atmosphere created by Vlad, the explicit and poignant ambient work of Gydja, the more industrial-driven atmospheres of Emerge, the totally haunting and yet somewhat industrial-like Hoarfrost featuring mysterious chants, the totally claustrophobic-like Xerxes The Dark, the deep vibrating noises by Alphaxone (definitely one of the new Masters in dark-ambient) and Dao De Noize. Freiband (aka Frans de Waard) is a kind of living legend bringing this sampler to an end.
– – – : I don’t have minus points, but I think it’s just a pity this kind of compilation will have some difficulties to reach a wider audience used to hearing this kind of music genres. There’s so much music plus releases to discover and new bands to purchase we’re sometimes missing great opportunities.
Conclusion: “For Your Ears Only” is a fascinating compilation bringing different-, but related styles together. I can only, but encourage you to discover this sampler.
Best bands: Gydja, Hoarfrost, Xerxes The Dark, Dao De Noize.
Rate: (8).
Label: http://ralignment.tictail.com / www.facebook.com/reversealignment
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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.
