An Edgy Synth Driven EP from Mutual Shock
- BuzzSlayers
- 7 minutes ago
- 4 min read
A fresh EP release from Mutual Shock brings out layers of shimmering and edgy synthesizers that come together in the form of cold or darkwave-style tracks, thriving with electronic and digitally driving soundscapes, but also leaning on vast undertones and a cinematic backbone.
This is a record with layers, and it gives you loads to chew on, which is probably one of the most fun aspects about the entire thing.
The EP runs the gamut of electronic synth approaches and does it well because they utilize the combination of tones to create atmospheres.
In my opinion, this record is a demonstration in sound sculpting. Being able to create other worlds with your music. Even if you don't watch the videos, close your eyes, and listen to this record, you will be taken away to a completely different headspace.
This was super fun, also touches on plenty of post-punk and other genres, by the way, and it's meant to be heard all at once.
I'm not saying that this is 100% a concept record, but songs feel like they do interconnect; they do tell stories, and they are portrayed with amazing moods.
The album is called Tools of Western Aggression, and it kicks off with a track called "Lamprey", which is sort of smooth and drifting, but also driving at the same time.
They give you a few layers of rhythmic synthesizers that bring the energy and danceability to everything; meanwhile, there's an overlaying synth pad sound that please melodic overtones, and they sound almost haunting, dreamlike, and definitely remind me of the kind of stuff that I used to listen to growing up.
I also feel like some of the cinematic aspect of this record is because I did actually grow up watching all kinds of movies in the '80s, a lot of science fiction stuff which definitely leaned on synthesizers like this one. Loads of synthwave and electronic music driving these films makes perfect sense because they were able to create those very big soundtracks for the scenes that were happening, intensifying them.
I feel like this record does that without even trying. I feel like this is an album that was inspired by some of that kind of stuff along with everything else.
Now, you can hear other influences coming into play, of course, but this is a dark wave and post-punk record at heart. Sort of dark overtones and edgy moods that you get swallowed up by.
This is a great track to introduce the record with simply because you're getting some of the great staples the rest of the EP boasts.
However, having said that, once again, listening to the entire thing is the best way to go.
Also, listening to this record with headphones on is one of the best ideas. You can soak in all the textures and tones that are always coming at you.
This track also showcases how they're able to build to a sort of climactic pinnacle. The song grows into a really intense moment, and when it's in full swing, it's very sonically massive.
"Charlatans" has a slower sort of swingish style beat, and I really dig this one because it makes me think of semi-old school Nine Inch Nails style stuff.
The vocals on the record help create those moods amazingly, as they are slightly brooding, usually double-tracked, and almost always drenched in a reverb-style effect.
This definitely helps build those layers and adds a lot of depth to the soundscapes that you are swimming through.
And believe me, some of these songs, like this one, feel like you're just swimming through them.
"The Spectacle" has to be one of my favorite songs on the record, simply because they're using some classic ' 80s-style synthesizers on this one. This is done here and there throughout the record. Some of the synths and keys have tones and sounds that are very 80s and early 90s.
They use them to create extra melodies, and on this track, the synths that are overlapping everything bounce between the beats in a different way than the rest of them do.
So it's not just about creating more textures and tones; it's about additional rhythms that the synthesizers create and how they are utilized to build one song.
Songs like "The Hound" are probably the most classic, vintage, and engulfing. The entire track has a certain kind of reverb effect on it as opposed to just the vocals and a few other instruments, and this draws you into their world even further.
They're able to really capture a particular aesthetic here.
They definitely know how to build their sounds into something big, and once they have that locked in, it feels like they start building around that.
Of course, I wasn't there, so I'm not sure how this stuff is actually written.
The crazy thing is that this whole thing was kicked off and is the brainchild of Dan Powers.
As far as I can tell, it seems like Dan writes and records everything himself, except for live shows when he brings a bassist and drummer on board with him.
This is even cooler because once you realize it's one person, it kind of blows you away. Being able to have a song that comes to fruition the way these do on your own must be pretty hard.
But it also must be really fun. It's probably the most satisfying thing hearing these tracks come to life.
So Dan would definitely be a multi-instrumentalist and is able to just have full control over what he wants to come through.
I'm not sure if he is the one that mixes the stuff, but it seems that way. If he does have an outside producer or engineer that ends up mixing final tracks, they are definitely on the same page.
Everyone here understood the mission, even if it was only Dan.
So, if you love dark wave, cold wave, synth wave, post-punk, cinematic, spacious, expansive kinds of songs that you can still dance to, don't miss this one.
Put on headphones and take a deep dive into this record now, and remember where you heard it first.
Comments