Neon Shudder
Ghost Process
Independent (2015)
Covering much of the same ground as a group like Perturbator, Philadelphia’s neon shudder makes dark electronic music inspired by the world of cyberpunk – a genre of sci-fi that’s often described as “future noir” and includes works like Blade Runner and Shadowrun. Though I didn’t say as much in my review of it, Áine O'Dwyer’s Music for Church Cleaners actually had many themes on it that reminded me of the Shadowrun game for the Sega Genesis – particularly the moments where the player had to negotiate the Native American lands. neon shudder’s Ghost Process EP, released just a few months after 2015’s Hex Phase, moves well beyond sounding “similar” to that game’s music however – it may as well be an alternate soundtrack to Shadowrun or the synth-based score to a made-for-video sci-fi horror flick.If Hex Phase was a more atmospheric overall album with a few club cuts thrown in though, Ghost Process plays like a dark but kinetic dance record. Both these albums are full of well-crafted and often catchy tunes, but I found that the tracks on Hex Phase grew somewhat repetitive down the stretch, lacking a sense of purpose or evolution as they progressed. This issue … Read more
Grease Thieves
The World This Hour
Independent (2015)
Newly-formed Vancouver, BC pop-punk trio Grease Thieves boast a vocalist whose snarl makes him sound a bit like vintage Tim … Read more
