It’s no surprise that the forced isolation of Covid and lack of shows have produced some spirited home-recorded albums and remote collaborations, but Dataland by Dead Sea Apes, Adam Stone and Black Tempest might be one of the best of the bunch thus far.
Synths gurgle and throb over cold drones and mechanical beats all across this album, while icy guitar lines strike like lightning and chilly spoken vocals spout poetic musings on life in the age of smart devices and wireless internet. Just take a listen to the two tracks that have dropped today, “Shop Soiled” and “Time to Eat Again,” the former of which RCU has been graciously allowed to premiere in this post.
“Shop Soiled”, by Adam Stone, Dead Sea Apes and Black Tempest
“Shop Soiled” is a meandering piece that follows a hypnotically minimalist groove, while vocals rise from a mumble to indignant shouts. If it wasn’t for the track’s use of psychedelic synthesizer effects and reverb-saturated guitars, this song would have fit firmly in the dark realms of the late ’80s goth underground. Yet the clanging metallic drumming, grumbling electronics and industrial bass all take on a kind of astral vibe. Did this collective just invent cosmic goth music? Simply said, this track is utterly brilliant.
Meanwhile, “Time to Eat Again” centers around a hypnotic spoken-word piece that sounds like if Steven J. Bernstein wrote for the Lo Fidelity Allstars. Spacey keyboards pulsate and ascend triumphantly throughout the song, calling to mind Bowie’s work in Berlin or a more accessible Throbbing Gristle.
If you’re in the UK, you can preorder this album on limited edition cream colored and ‘Heavy Berry Splatter’ vinyl from Cardinal Fuzz ahead of its January 29th release. For US customers, you can get your copy through Feeding Tube Records.
If you liked the sound of these tracks, buckle up for this! Sun Behind The Sun, another completely mind-blowing collaboration between Dead Sea Apes and Black Tempest, and the acid hurricane that is Night Lands by Dead Sea Apes and Nik Rayne will soon each have vinyl reissues on Cardinal Fuzz and Feeding Tube Records.
These albums are pure kosmische witchcraft that fans of German Oak, Amon Düül II and White Hills should not miss. Luckily, UK shoppers can buy these records plus Dataland bundled together for £40! Click here to order yours now. (US shoppers can get Night Lands here and Sun Behind The Sun here).
-KH
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