Review / 200 Words Or Less
Tessela
Rough 2 EP

Different Grooves (2014) Edward

Tessela – Rough 2 EP cover artwork
Tessela – Rough 2 EP — Different Grooves, 2014

This drug influenced, euro-electronic laser beam, drum and bass can be very, VERY repetitive, Anxiety inducing, tough to listen to, and at times I felt like it was going to trigger a panic attack or an audible seizure.

An ‘80s pop-locking, track suit wearing dance crew wouldn't touch this album that brings no emotion or anything of value to the table. 

It does have a deep and complex upbeat sound, although I can't imagine it being played anywhere else except a rave. There's so much going on, it can be overwhelming at times. I felt like I was listening to two space ships shooting laser beams at each other in a low budget science fiction movie. It brings back memories of playing Vectorman and feels like I got stuck in a Sega Genesis. I'm not sure how many times Tessela tries to get away with, “oh, you think the song is over...? Well, it’s not,” an example being track 2 titled “Butchwax” that will stop dead for a couple of seconds mid-song; only to kick in heavier with, pretty much, the same beat.

Luckily this is a short EP and I wasn't forced to listen to it longer than I had to.

3.0 / 10Edward • July 22, 2014

Tessela – Rough 2 EP cover artwork
Tessela – Rough 2 EP — Different Grooves, 2014

Recently-posted album reviews

Onelinedrawing

RAINBOWMACHINE
Iodine (2026)

I grew up listening to the acoustic side of onelinedrawing. Those stripped-down Jonah Matranga songs had a way of making everything else disappear, often needing little more than a guitar, a voice, and an honest melody to completely pull you in. That's still the version of onelinedrawing that immediately comes to mind for me, so with Matranga having been relatively … Read more

Professor and the Madman

Dreamworld
FullerTone Records (2026)

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS – “Brand New World”, “12 Strings and Tambourines”, “Adams Street”, “Temple of Madness” It’s rare to find these days. A band (or maybe supergroup, in this case) that defies all genre boundaries and just…creates. Alfie Agnew (Adolescents, D.I.) and Sean Elliott (D.I., Mind Over Four) are familiar names from Orange County’s early 80s hardcore and psych-punk scenes, but … Read more

Chat Pile

Who Loves The Sun
Flenser (2026)

If Chat Pile were a film, they would be a dark thriller. The kind that builds tension until the end and, once we reach the third act, still might not ever show the killer. It's plodding and intense and, while I just pulled out a genre reference, the best thing about the band is how much they defy conventional musical … Read more