Genre: Noise Rock

Tracklist:

01 Sonny Liston
02 Golden Ships
03 Island
04 Mars



  In the one of my reviews from previous HH issue I wrote about disappointing situation in modern English alternative and independent scenes. But all my fears have been dispelled by debut EP ‘Elapse-O’ from the band of the same name. Two young men from Oxford, David J. Roe and Toby Nevitt, created strident, noisy music with post-punk influence in the best traditions of The Cure and Swans. ‘Elapse-O’ is true independent work and it is published by ‘Records On Ribs’ label, which distribute all of its music for free download under a Creative Commons license, as well as more traditional formats. Free music symbolizes four free experiments with noisy musical layers, chromatic vocal melody lines and bludgeon-like drum machines rhythms. These experiments aren’t listener-unfriendly because of its inner human nature. Elapse-O music isn’t ‘experimental sound merely for experimental sound’, but view on life through troubled glass of noise sound.
  

Primary feature of this EP is an unusual atmosphere. There is atmosphere of head-blow. Some moments after this blow you aren’t understand where you are being situated. Real world stays in its own place but every straight line turns into curve. All environment sounds are damped down, even vocal line looks like reference point. Electronic samples and distorted guitar groans are mixed in the complex noisy patterns, which are used instead of habitual colors. Rhythm constructions are simple but cyclical and these cycles replace your heartbeats. And it seems that some strange voice is settled in your head. All this elements come to the end after four tracks but feeling of some bewilderment remains. I remember similar state after first listening of ‘Disintegration’. But The Cure reserves some sensations of solitude, while Elapse-O keeps only ‘something wrong’ feeling.
 

 I think that this EP is a good start point for the band. Musicians have a good sense of proportion with respect to using interesting melodies from one side, and noise and distorted effects from another. Of course one can perfect record skill, but it is not conclusive aspect. Whole atmosphere is more important. Every song from four is well thought-out from this point. Second ‘Golden Ships’ is the best in my opinion, it is good hit (not ‘radio hit’ but hit in independent scene, of course). There is some inexpressible understanding that it is ‘real music’, it is ideal suit for our time and our reality. It seems that Elapse-O is one from the best opening for me in this year.