Initiation

On their sophomore LP Eraas fuse together disparate experimental genres (ambient, electronic, post-punk) into a bracing, idiosyncratic, style. Dark and drum-heavy with whispered vocals. This album’s only flaw is that it often treads the same emotional and instrumental territory without much surprise or release of tension. Favorites: 1, 2, 6, 7. No FCCs (vocals are largely unintelligible).

RIYL: Snowman "Absence", The Soft Moon, haunted house Radiohead, Suuns, Liars "WIXIW", Demdike Stare

1. (5:24) ** Muffled movie sample before breaking into an eerie propulsive groove. Ghostly vocals. Layers of programmed and acoustic percussion. Transitions into a more tribal toned down mood. Fades into ambience.
2. (4:18) ** Prominent bass, spooky textures, creative drumming, and those telltale vocals. Cuts out into a dark fog with about 30 sec left.
3. (1:43) * Boxy drums. Horror movie garage-rock. Abrupt fade out.
4. (4:03) ** More lo-fi, with child-like vocals. Upbeat energy. Last portion of song is spine tingling ambient.
5. (2:19) * Big prominent drums and bass. Similar to previous tracks.
6. (1:15) ** Chimes and environmental sounds. Really stunning ambient work. Great for a sound-bed.
7. (3:06) *** Clattering percussion. Night-drive music at its finest.
8. (6:51) Synth led ambience with vinyl crackle and movie dialogue samples. Deep, simple, drums. Subdued and eerie. Last 1:30 is stark piano and dark atmosphere. Reviewed by Muscat