Listening Party In New York (Includes Album Review!)

[hstn]

Okay y'all..so I heard No Geography ahead of release...before I give my thoughts lemme just say...never going to do another listening party again! It ruined the experience for me because the people there kept skipping through the whole album and were talking during each track so I couldn't even hear it in full or take it all in! Right when we were at the middle someone skipped to the latter end of the album then back to the beginning! 

Okay rant over, let's get started 

SPOILERS AHEAD:

Spoiler

In spite of that, the album itself was quite amazing, far more cohesive than Born In The Echoes, there were some weak spots but it's overall solid! Bear in mind these are first impressions based on what the party allowed me to take in.

The first three tracks went seamlessly into each other.

Eve Of Destruction was changed up quite a bit from the 2017 demo but feels overall more full/satisfying, extra vocals from Aurora and new takes on the synths the brothers had used on the track since it's premiere. Nene shines in her own robotic rap in the middle of the song, but it almost feels forced compared to the rest of the disco vibes the song has. In spite of this, it works for the next song.

To me, Bango has to be the best track on the whole album, a VERY welcome return to form for the brothers. It's very reminiscent of Morning Lemon and their early breakbeat style, the bango vocal along with Aurora's vocals are very hypnotizing. The samples/synth melodies spread throughout really add to the beats/vibe of the whole song.

No Geography I didn't get to have too much of a good listen to because of how many people were talking, but it had a very distinct 80s vibe with the drums and synths, along with a vocal almost similar to the Acid Test vocal heard during the 2019 tour at the beginning of Escape Velocity.

Got To Keep On, nothing new to report, amazing track nonetheless, however Gravity Drops seemed like the more forgetful of the bunch, that one I didn't really get to take in as much but upon first impression it didn't stick as much with me.

The Universe Sent Me is very out of leftfield for the brothers, it has more of a EDM vibe but with an unmistakable chemical signature. Imagine Asleep From Day and Wide Open having a lovechild in a way. Not really the Sunshine Underground or Escape Velocity y'all would hope for but there are some parts on the song that come extremely close, especially in the synths and build ups. It's a beautiful track but not on the par I was expecting. Aurora making multiple appearances on the album seem to really bring out the psychedelic/animalistic nature of each track, granted she sings much more than Stephanie Dosen has, it still works.

WGTG, FY, MAH nothing new to report, all are destined to become classics in all honesty! Granted the FY album version is an improvement over the single version, the intro is edited but it still sounds great.

Sad to say, wasn't too pleased with Catch Me I'm Falling, it was very mellow compared to the monster that is MAH, but it was the type that wasn't so satisfying, say compared to other album closers. The build-ups really went nowhere and it felt more all over the place than the rest of the songs on the album, granted the synth arpeggios really bring better closure, and some areas of the song sounded quite euphoric, it would've been better if the build ups/synth leads present went somewhere!

Overall in spite of just those two songs, the album overall is honestly solid, a very welcome return to the brothers' roots with a cutting edge vibe that had been missing in their recent works!

Please remember that these are only first impressions, I'll give a more proper review once the album is out!

[Csar]

Hstn, thank you for your detailed review! One has to wonder, why do people go to such a event when they aren't really interested/ invested? And why isn't the whole event moderated, at least in terms of playback? What's the purpose of a listening party of a brand new album when random people get to choose what they want and when they want it? The record should have been played in its entirety at least once so that everyone could have had a chance to fully appreciate and experience it. Is that a New York thing? Bored out people just going to something edgy after work?

Well, as for the album, I'm kind of surprised and not surprised - yet a little sad - that there doesn't seem to be a more complex, epic kind of track on it which I hoped for. Nevertheless, super excited for Friday!

[𝒥𝑅𝒮𝒵]

Eve Of Destruction was changed up quite a bit from the 2017 demo but feels overall more full/satisfying, extra vocals from Aurora and new takes on the synths the brothers had used on the track since it's premiere. Nene shines in her own robotic rap in the middle of the song, but it almost feels forced compared to the rest of the disco vibes the song has. In spite of this, it works for the next song.

Does the track still have those amazing bassline from the 2017 demo you know this one  https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1829639430392984&id=145163125507298
because damn it sounds fantastic!

[Wolkenkrabber]

Spoiler

To me, Bango has to be the best track on the whole album, a VERY welcome return to form for the brothers. It's very reminiscent of Morning Lemon and their early breakbeat style, the bango vocal along with Aurora's vocals are very hypnotizing. The samples/synth melodies spread throughout really add to the beats/vibe of the whole song.

Do you mean there's a sample in there? Is it the same sample I was

(spoiler!) in another thread?

EDIT: also another thought, people: Y'know the way the Salmon Dance kinda, sorta, maybe samples Beethoven? What if it actually samples the track in my link at 4.20? (Incidentally Arthur Russell who is behind this track was a cellist with a classical background. I guess he would have known Beethoven...).
EDIT2: actaully listening to Salmon Dance again now, I might be reaching there...

[hstn]

Well, as for the album, I'm kind of surprised and not surprised - yet a little sad - that there doesn't seem to be a more complex, epic kind of track on it which I hoped for. Nevertheless, super excited for Friday!

Don't be sad! The tracks are very much complex and epic, just maybe not to the extent of what they're capable of! It's still well worth the excitement! (And I'd say yes it's a New York thing but I don't have the opportunity of knowing many Chems fans here, they didn't really seem like huge fans anyway with the exception of someone who worked there.)

Does the track still have those amazing bassline from the 2017 demo you know this one  https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1829639430392984&id=145163125507298
because damn it sounds fantastic!

Wait and see

Do you mean there's a sample in there? Is it the same sample I was

(spoiler!) in another thread?

EDIT: also another thought, people: Y'know the way the Salmon Dance kinda, sorta, maybe samples Beethoven? What if it actually samples the track in my link at 4.20? (Incidentally Arthur Russell who is behind this track was a cellist with a classical background. I guess he would have known Beethoven...).
EDIT2: actaully listening to Salmon Dance again now, I might be reaching there...

Nope it was a male voice mixed with Aurora's singing, you lost me at the Salmon Dance info XD

[Csar]

Does the track still have those amazing bassline from the 2017 demo you know this one  https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1829639430392984&id=145163125507298
because damn it sounds fantastic!

Wait and see

Could you say the same about this one? It's apparently not taken down yet, so I presume it's not on NG?

[Wolkenkrabber]

Nope it was a male voice mixed with Aurora's singing

What did it say? Did the male voice say

? (I'm not giving up!)

[hstn]

Wait and see
Could you say the same about this one? It's apparently not taken down yet, so I presume it's not on NG?

I'M SO DISAPPOINTED THAT STILL HASN'T APPEARED ANYWHERE!! It's not on the album
I happily would've taken this and Superflash as tracks on No Geography, the both fit the vibe of the album anyway!

What did it say? Did the male voice say

? (I'm not giving up!)

it was just "bango bango bango bango bango" chopped, i have audio of some of the tracks but it's not the best

[WhiteNoise]

I'M SO DISAPPOINTED THAT STILL HASN'T APPEARED ANYWHERE!! It's not on the album

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[hstn]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I KNOW!! I wanna start a petition for this and Superflash to see the light of day.

[Joslyn]

Toxic and I went to the pre-listening party in Amsterdam. I think there were about 16 people at the coffee shop of the independent record store. Cool to have the opportunity to listen to the album but it wasn't the greatest sound quality. At 14:00 an employee pressed play on the laptop.

Spoiler

The first three tracks are a return to form of the early EPD/DYOH days. There are more breakbeats present then we've heard on the last couple of albums. We also heard Morning Lemon beats in Bango
Got to keep on still is a great track. The vocal bridge still sounds a bit strange.

Gravity Drops and The Universe sent me are too fresh to me to judge. The sounds are all over the place in a positive way. The vocals have a repetitive hypnotic feel.

We got to try was my first listen. I really loved the F1 minute promo with the bleeps and the bass line. I wish the track was extended with more of that bassline. There is a certain sound that lut me off. But I like the funkiness of it.

Free Yourself and MAH is reminiscend of the IDM/DSTR of DYOH, the bangers of the album

Catch me I'm falling is an ending like Wide open on acid.

I have to hear the album again (and again) to give a better review. This wasn't the best way to experience the album for the first time.

[Wolkenkrabber]

Thanks Joslyn. So it was an online stream by the sounds of it?
They weren't playing one of these?

[inchemwetrust]

I ain't clicking on no spoliers. Hell no!

Besides, few more days and it will be all over soon.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm hoping the other half of the album will lift it up and be neck to neck with the other greats (surrender, dyoh, etc,)

Edit: I think leaks will be out now as well. I will be celibant (audio wise) for this album. #blueears 

[Joslyn]

Thanks Joslyn. So it was an online stream by the sounds of it?
They weren't playing one of these?

No stream, I think they had a digital file.


Oh yeah, and I hate you for having the vinyl already 

[Born In Planet Dust]

Your chill game is much stronger than mine.  I would've throat punched people for skipping around on the album and chatting instead of shutting the hell up and LISTENING. 

[hstn]

Your chill game is much stronger than mine.  I would've throat punched people for skipping around on the album and chatting instead of shutting the hell up and LISTENING.

didn't see this, though let's not say I wasn't tempted!