OCTOBER SHOUT-OUTS: DAWNWALKER, HARRY CLOUD, THOSE WHO DREAM
Dawnwalker-The Unknowing
Listening to the "post-everything" London-based (with personnel sourced from beyond) outfit’s The Unknowing feels like slipping into another world, more specifically for me the sonic equivalent of the "flip" into the magical medieval world of The Territories in Stephen King and Peter Straub’s fantasy classic The Talisman. As the record unfolds, it does indeed feel very much like a fantastical journey; affirming my initial impression, bandleader Mark Norgate states that "conceptually, [the record] is something of a vision quest." In the quest to capture more of a vintage prog rock sound, the recording process—which spanned three separate studios—de-emphasized many modern conventions and emphasized analogue recording with minimal edits for a more textured and organic sound. In an intriguing synergy with the progressive elements is the songs’ more pop orientation. Indeed, as odd a comparison as this might at first seem, there were times on the album that reminded me of Ellie Goulding’s "woodland sprite pop" masterpiece Halcyon. Sofia Sourianou’s contribution on vocals adds another strong dimension to the record (you can check out my interview with Sofia and the rest of her bandmates in Deathbloom here, and with Cam Wilson of another of her projects in Lure In here); as Norgate states, she "not only added a layer of gothic otherworldliness that really elevated [the songs she appears on] to new heights, but she also contributed melodies and lyrics in Greek to the song ‘Mirrorpool.’" The lush and otherworldly atmosphere of the record is exemplified by a song like the album opener "Thema Mundi." A final track to note as we close out our first selection of this article is "Fall to Earth," which at times sounded a bit like Biffy Clyro when they get more bombastic. In sum, the timing for this record couldn’t be more perfect as we head toward Samhain when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest.
Harry Cloud-Sexy Tooth Situation
LA-based solo artist Harry Cloud returns with this strange and at times unhinged "journey to the center of the spirit," mining everything from Earth-inspired drone-type riffs to a part on the sprawling "Journey to the Center of the Spirit" that to my ear recalled the Dead Kennedys’ "Holiday in Cambodia." Album opener "Anthrax" is an extremely unsettling track that had a "Moor" by Every Time I Die-like effect but even more gonzo; "Motherfucker Number 1" generally resides in that same universe and is so deliberately inaccessible as to be borderline unlistenable. "Special Ed" reminded me a little bit of something that could’ve been on Cable’s The Failed Convict. Sexy Tooth Situation is a challenging record that will certainly test the listener in a variety of ways. One could not call it "easy listening" by any means. Cloud gets more in-depth with the creative process behind these tracks and some further specifics on my interview with him that can be viewed here.
Those Who Dream-Therapy Machine
Perth, Australia’s Those Who Dream’s Therapy Machine is five tracks that explore different facets of the band’s sound, rooted primarily in rock—"Enigma," for example, is a pretty straight-forward rock song—but with numerous detours and additions along the way. "Face the Truth" is a soft yet powerfully emotive, piano-driven ballad, whereas "Mannequin" is as insanely catchy as anything in the Panic! At the Disco catalogue. "IT SURROUNDS" is another song that has a Panic! At the Disco or Fall Out Boy-type feel to it. "Therapy Machine" opens up sounding like a combination of Faith No More and Falco’s "Der Kommissar" before pivoting into more of an upbeat rock track, although it doesn’t totally abandon the Falco vibe, which recurs a couple more times. Overall it’s an interesting release that exhibits a lot of promise, particularly in the band’s ability to write hooks, which is no easy feat.