DERELICT//SƎꓤꓵꓕꓛꓵꓤꓕS – Aquarium
Let’s get this out of the way; the album cover of this album is perfect. If somehow you skipped to the bottom of this review and are puzzled at how such an amateur album cover could have scored so well, know the cover perfectly represents the soundscape depicted through Aquarium. If you were like me, you may have expected a poor ambient/folk album; though the work may surprised you. Aquarium is a marvellous fusion of breakcore and dark-ambient, bolstered by a clear vision and a memorable track-listing.
The album opens with a unique, eerie assortment of sounds, luring in the listener to its dark, alluring atmosphere. Whereas many artists incorporate ambience and exerpimental noise into their breakcore beats, very few implement their breakcore beats into their experimental noise. This often feels the case throughout Aquarium, in which the beats feel less like a driving force and moreso like a dynamic contrast to the eerie plunderphonics. While the soundscape is constantly evolving, the beats rarely do, though; perhaps the only downside to the compositions. Nonetheless, the gritty assortment of samples and quaking use of plunderphonics is marvellously assorted to cultivate a soundscape that is both jarring and tremendously unique. While the genre itself is not inventive, the palate is wholly original.
Aquarium cannot truly be broken down track-by-track, but rather moment to moment. Lolipop is gripping the entire length, bar the odd transition 2 minutes in. Sample use is often creepy, but fitting. The album goes hard equally as impressively as it slows down. In terms of ideas, it mostly fizzles out towards the end of the track-listing. Unlike other aquatic-themed albums, it often feels like the tank was never cleaned. Hopefully, it never will be. Here’s hoping DERELICT//SƎꓤꓵꓕꓛꓵꓤꓕS can simulate an equally as impressive environment on his next release.
Really Good
Listen to it here:
DERELICT//SƎꓤꓵꓕꓛꓵꓤꓕS – Aquarium
