Thursday 23 March 2017

V/A - X LP (Time As A Color 10th Anniversary Comp) Review/Stream


Tracklist:-

1. Carson Wells - Same Grave
2. Nebraska - Plug
3. Bail - I World Lost Yonder
4. Lorraine - Club 28
5. Coma Regalia - Nomorewords
6. Duct Hearts - The Sun Downed. And So Did We (Excerpt A)
7. Kumulus - XII
8. Grand Detour - Arbeit & Rhythmus (Live At Little Elephant)
9. Terraformer - Medea

German screamo/emo label Time As A Color and the bands it works with, has been feature a lot on my blog over the last year. 2017 marks the 10th anniversary for the label and to celebrate, they've released a compilation LP featuring nine new songs, from many of the band who have and continue to shape the label. I've featured the likes of Lorraine, Coma Regalia, Duct Hearts, Kumulus and Terraformer before but the other participants of new to the blog, so I'm extremely excited to be able to bring you an early review and a stream of the comp.

It’s been a huge pleasure to be able to write about and listen to the progression of Time As A Color over the past 12+ months. The label typifies the DIY spirit that exists in the screamo/emo/hardcore scene and this comp highlights the creativity and individually that each band has brought to the label. Carson Wells begin with Same Grave, which is very much on the indie side of emo with gorgeous melodic riffs and semi-screamed/spoken/clean vocals. Mid-paced and really listenable. Alongside Carson Wells, Nebraska are another new band for me. They inhabit a bygone era of screamo with Plug. Off-kilter and with vocals that sound as live and as unfiltered as those pre-digital wizardry bands did in the mid to late nineties. There’s a garage-punk feel to Bail’s A World Lost Yonder and (dare I say it) a slight hint of Billy Talent in there too. I hope that doesn’t offend anyone, it’s just another one of my misplaced comparisons! The song s great though and pretty damn catchy. There’s more punk attitude about Lorraine on Club 28. Imagine if 80s punk bands like The Clash and Sex Pistols had gone through a My Bloody Valentine phase and you wouldn’t be far off what it sounds like. The mood of the comp changes when Coma Regalia’s emoviolence takes hold on Nomorewords. It’s layered with atmosphere, rage and stellar musicianship. Everything you’ve come to expect from the duo. Duct Hearts has contributed an excerpt from a soon-to-be-released song. The Sun Downed. And So Did We. is the sound of the band maturing and when they release material later this year, it’ll definitely be worth the wait (I can’t and probably shouldn’t say any more than that!). The soothing instrumentals that Kumulus perform are always welcome and XII is no different. Their songs have always been sprawling yet uplifting. There are hints of their heavier side here too. Grand Detour has gone old-school and contributed an unreleased live version of Arbeit & Rhythmus to the comp, which was a great idea. It captures their energy and musical ability really well in instrumental form, which is why it  sounds so good. The comp ends with Medea by Terraformer, who only just recently released a record via the label. The song is a complex yet spacey way to conclude the record and it completes a trio of instrumental songs in brilliant fashion. This comp gives you a aural snapshot of where Time As A Color is at as a label. If you follow the label at all, 2017 is going to be golden year I predict. 

 The full comp is up for streaming and pre-order below:-


Time As A Color Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/timeasacolor/

Coma Regalia Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/comaregalia/
Duct Hearts Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ducthearts/
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