Artist: Hapax
Title: Stream Of Consciousness
Genre: Darkwave / Synth Wave / Post Punk / Gothic
Release Date: 31st December 2014
Label: SwissDarkNights
Album Review
This release from Italian purveyors of silvery black Alt Rock is called ‘Stream Of Consciousness’ and is the first album in the trilogy released so far. What we have here is a pleasant easy on the ear affair that does not quite give that constant shivery feel to the skin that ‘Monade’ does but we are on the way there. With this release the sound is a bit more “surface”. We have here, as the title states, a stream of consciousness that washes over you like a caressing mist but deep mining into the source of the stream is not under way yet. There is more of a sense of feeling, less cerebral. An instinctual “going with the flow” if you will.
Opening track ‘Untitled Heart’ potters along with a sneer in the bass line whilst ‘To The Other Side’ exudes a lopping lolling vibe replete with thin lipped expressions. ‘When The Marble Falls’ teases me with the shivery feeling, like a sneeze on the verge of explosion, only to recede, repeatedly. ‘Spleen’ evokes cathedrals made of trees, a healing scene that redacts infection.
The bass is the main instrument throughout, it's the centre of the universe like a magician’s distaff, conducting the proceedings around it. Keyboards and guitars are connected and dance and gyrate. I get this feeling when listening to ‘Exit’. On ‘Time’ the guitars and keyboards dance a little closer, the vibe a little more urgent like water nearing a plug hole. ‘As Empty Shells’ is satisfying! No shivers, but still, it’s satisfying! It got me playing drums with pencils on the edge of my computer desk, so there! The rubber band feeling bass at the end only added to the intensity of my drumming. My favourite track so far.
‘Like Sand’ is the first track on this album where I hear a Carl McCoy vibe. But this is mashed up with ‘Fascination Street’ era THE CURE. It’s alright is this! In regards to ‘A Tank For Alex’, why am I on those swirly teacup rides you see at fun fares? I’m wearing latex, the teacups swirl and the G’s push me into the black liquorice seats, all the while I’m grinning as a German voice rants in my ears…
A little bit of Darkwave disco Eurobeat next. This track is named after an Italian writer by the name of Giordano Bruno. I’ve never heard of him, many people who aren’t Italian wouldn’t have but that’s beside the point. The point is this (As the Pub Landlord would say), this is a change of vibe temporarily that pulls you out of the lane you have been driving on for the past 45 minutes or so. Like you have been driving in a familiar bubble down the motorway before a swerving truck wakes you with a jolt. And then the final track, ‘Listen’ pushes you back into that bubble.
This album is nine minutes longer than ‘Monade’. Nine minutes too long? Maybe. The last two tracks didn’t stir me up as much as many of the others did but other than that, and the lower “shiver” quotient, this is a good album.
Tracklist
01. Untitled Heart
02. To The Other Side
03. When The Marble Falls
04. Spleen
05. Exit
06. Time
07. As Empty Shells
08. Like Sand
09. A Tank For Alex
10. Giordano Bruno
11. Listen
Line-up
Michele Mozzillo – vocals / lyrics / bass / synth
Dye Ki Nlooln – guitar / synth / programming
Website
https://www.hapaxband.com/
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 7
Sound: 7
Total: 7 / 10
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