EP Review: CYBERPHUNK EP by CYLAS

 

Cyberphunk EP

By

Cylas

 

Cylas is the new alias of Emcee/Producer Silas from Switzerland. Not only does he have a new name but, he is also bringing a new sound. It has been a couple of years since I last reviewed his 45 release, Against The Grain/Evil Dreams back in July of 2019.

When I saw that he was bringing something new to the table, I was really keen to hear what he had in store for us. When I noted that this new sound was going to be on a breakbeat, electropunk, cyberphunk vibe it piqued my interest even more as it is always good to have some new vibes to get my mind into.

With that said, clear you mind and let me take through the Cyberphunk EP…

 

Now Monday’s have never been everyone’s favourite day, the start of a new working week is always a struggle. So, just imagine if one Bloody Fucking Monday (which feat. Steelyvibe) you awoke to carry on your same old routine but, unaware that your really in living in a cyber reality like the matrix. Somewhere you have no real control over your fate, just think about it as the huge sonic sounds and heavy beat create this mind-bending reality in your mind. Would that version of reality be a bad place? What about the hear and now imagine that Aliens look down on most of the people on earth as Idiots, do we really fit that label? As you ponder that, the soundscape here is a perfect head nod Hip Hop sound over which is a multi-layered electronic soundscape that moves like light through a fiberoptic cable. The high-octane, pulse pounding sound is reminiscent of some modern soundtracks. Just imagine the scene on earth if alien beings landed here and the chaos that might ensue, does the vibe of this track not fit perfectly…

Moving into the EP’s title track, the beat and electronic vibes are less frantic. This allows you to once more separate yourself from the reality you’re living in and drift back to that Cyberphunk space. Here it feels like you are hovering above this cyber reality and watching as everything around you happen at the speed of light. As your mind is drifting and conjuring up all sorts of visions the frequency shifts and huge sonic and electronic sounds shift your perception once more. Fireball Flingaz join you and, as the beat hits, this current cyber reality morphs into something new. Remark and Exile explain that in here the outside world has no control, you can speak your truths without fear but, the powers that be always seeks to control, everyone must Approach and Identify. The vibe is upbeat and infectious, and DJ Tones ensures that the outsiders are cut down to size. This is one version of cyber reality you won’t want to leave in a hurry, trust me…

Once more the reality shifts and we find ourselves introduced to a reality where there is No Good News. The backdrop beat pounds your mind into submission while the sonic electronic sounds stretch and bend you understanding of reality to the point where you just go with it. That is exactly what they want, they want you not to question this reality and just be under their control because the truth is that the news is not as bad as they would have you think? The EP ends with the Against The Grain (Cyber RMX) and here the beat pounds and the sonic vibes carry you through the fiberoptic cables and around the world at dizzying speeds. As you travel the original message that the Fireball Flingaz and Silas brought is catapulted into this new digital cyber era. Now, being yourself and going Against The Grain is something that can be seen by millions almost instantly and we have to learn new ways to constantly stand up for our truth, be individuals and not to be taken in by fear that is being perpetrated around us in the Cyberphunk era…

 

There is no doubt that the Cyberphunk EP is not Hip Hop however, it does seem to draw its inspiration from a wide range of sources from Hip Hop and electronic music to Punk, soundtrack, and other more modern music. The overall vibe created by Cylas is not one that you can easily pin to one genre as there seems to be elements of steampunk, cyberpunk, the matrix, and our current 3D reality, which all blend together and what it produces is this stunning sonic sound that is, quite honestly, a delight to listen to. The addition of Fireball Flingaz (Remark and Exile) and DJ Tones works so well on Approach & Identify and I am sure this one will find it’s way on to more than a few Hip Hop playlists.

It could be said that this sound is not for everybody, and it may well be that not everyone will like it on first listen but, I am sure that if you give it time it will grow on you. All the elements work so well together and the instrumental aspect of most of the EP gives so much scope for the listener to follow their own journey with Cylas having given you just enough direction before letting you go it alone. It is a refreshing sound that shows the talent of Cylas as a producer, and I’m fairly sure this will just be the start of many more to come.

I really don’t want to say too much more as I feel the music will do most of the talking. It is just worth mentioning that Bloody Fucking Monday is exclusive to the Bandcamp release, and the cover photography is by the very talented Beach Cams Man and features the equally talented Atilia Gig.

The Cyberphunk EP is out today on Giftklass Labor via Bandcamp with other streaming links to follow.

As always, on that note,

I’m out, See ya,

Steve

LINKS

Grab your copy from Bandcamp Here:

https://cylas.bandcamp.com/album/cyberphunk-ep

VIDEOS

Approach & Identify ft Fireball Flingaz and DJ Tones

Album Review: Overlooked / Underrated by Drawgs

 

Overlooked / Underrated

By

Drawgs

 

It’s always good to take a slight departure from the norm, once in a while, and Overlooked / Underrated by UK based producer Drawgs aka Connor Metcalfe is just that.

The album is divided into two parts with Over, noted as the more boombap focused part, and Under being a more gritty triphop edge. The dual nature of the project is reflected in both the title and artwork. I Quote “The naming of the project was chosen due to the definition of the words. Overlooked and underrated, as descriptive terms, are essentially very similar in meaning but with opposite connotations; Over and Under. It is a perfect example of the project itself, being cohesive, in the same vein while having two sides to it. The artwork for the project was made to be rotatable by 180 degrees to further emphasise the 2 part nature of the project. The top half is a sunset representing the lighter side of the project, while the bottom half is outer space representing the darker side of the project.”

 

This album is an instrumental project which, for me, is excellent as instrumental albums have a lot less boundaries when you are getting lost in the music. So, let’s get into it…

 

The first part of the album kicks off with the Over (Intro) which immediately brings a chilled boombap vibe. This track brings a sampled meditation introduction which helps prepare us for what is coming, and it may touch us and feed the subconscious. That boombap vibe now switches to a jazz infused sound with keyboards and horns. Like the sun through the trees, it’s time to let your mind be free, Vacant if you will, and just drink in the sounds and let them carry you to wherever you wish to go. From that jazz sound we now morph to more laid-back electronic vibe full of synth notes. You can’t help but, let the sound carry you off to an Evergreen Forest where only these sounds and smell of pine inhabit your senses. As you are drifting away the beat switches once more to more blues sound to the beat mixed with horns and a wealth of layered sounds. The vocal sample seems to indicate we are constantly revolving. This is not a Revolver like a gun, here we are revolving within our own minds. Think of how the mind goes in circles due to indecision, especially when you anxious over something getting you and what that something might be, if, indeed, anything does get you…

 

We now switch into the second part of the album with the Under (Intro), the drums and guitar put me in mind of the UNKLE Main Title Theme from the album Psyence Fiction. The vocal samples direct you to wake up to what’s really going on around you. Now we are looking hard at what’s around us mix of Head nod beat, a sitar vibe, and samples from Casino take us to the rough streets for Nicky’s Revenge. There is duality to the message in this track, just like the dual nature of the album, as visions of the violent nature of the movie’s character and his non-stop thirst for revenge can compare to how we can keep getting up no matter what life throws at us, keeping our focus on our goals and dreams and not on revenge. A mix of heavy drums, Guitar and synth vibes seems to keep us grounded in the dark streets for Don’t Want Me. Here we are drawn into his world where being a part of something, is not always what it seams and when you see something you are not supposed to suddenly puts you in a spot where those you thought were your friends are not what you thought they were. The mood lights to more head nod drums alongside some heavy keyboards, horns, and an orchestral sound. Echoism shows how music so often echo’s real life and here you can easily sit and feel something different each time you listen, be it a darker or more uplifting vibe, it encompasses it all. Some instantly recognisable drums pull us into a guitar heavy sound mixed with multi-layered sounds for a laid-back vibe. It’s time to feel more Rested as this track seems to show that in the midst of chaos there are moments of clarity when you can make so sense of what’s going on. You could also see opposite noting the moments of chaos amidst the calm. The album ends with boombap drums, keyboards, electronic sounds and more on the ! Outro as you receive a thank you for listening to the music and a hope that your experience will bring you back again for another experience.   

 

 

Overlooked / Underrated comes in at a little 19 minutes long and I wanted more. Instrumental albums always take me to different places, sometimes quite deep, and I really wanted more time to experience each soundscape. It is one of those albums that I’ll be putting in the car or playing as I write, just so I can experience it over and over.

 

The inferred duality of the album transfers to an actual feeling of duality as you listen. Each aspect of the album (the Over and the Under) can easily give rise to a lighter or darker experience depending on the mood of the listener. This is a credit to what Drawgs created here musically and visually (He also produced the album artwork) as both elements can be rotated through 360 degrees in the awareness of the listener. As you listen to the music and look at the artwork, your own experiences and thoughts are drawn into the mix creating all manor of visions. Even the music itself, with its two-part, light and dark approach seems to morph into each other making you wonder what really the boom bap aspect is and what is the triphop aspect. What you end up with is a two-part urban meditation that gives you time to chill in the Over before the Under grounds you back into the reality of real life but, with enough space for that real life experience to be individually focused just as it was in the Over.

 

Drawgs production is spot on here as he creates these emotive soundscapes that come from his own imagination but gives the listener plenty of space to create their own personal direction. The mix of Hip Hop inspired sound is prevalent throughout the album. There is enough of a change between the two halves of the album to be apparent but, also there is enough of a blurring of sounds and vibes as to make you keep guessing as to the true inspiration.  

The album art also adds another dimension. Designed by Drawgs himself, it can be rotated mirroring the duality of the album and the design and lettering, alongside the music allows you to lose yourself in the image as you listen to the music but, it also has this almost sci-fi aspect allowing you to drift off into the future and back again if you so wish.

 

As I have said plenty of times before, this is one you really have to experience for yourself in order to get your own experience from. So, I urge you to give it a go and let Drawgs sound take you off somewhere new.

 

Overlooked / Underrated is out on 26^th August.

 

On that note,

 

I’m floating of elsewhere…

Steve.

LINKS

Pre-save link for Spotify and iTunes:

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/drawgs/overlookedunderrated

 

Welcome to Infinite Sounds

Hi All,

Welcome to my new blog Infinite sounds.
Basically I took the name from my Paranormal research group Infinite Realities.

Anyway,

As we kick off the new year I really wanted to kick off the Blog with something awesome and i still hope to do that.
But, for now this is the into to the group and please forgive the addition of Hip Hop Zombie Gnomes, that's a little bit of fun i am looking to inject into the reviews.

Since I brought my first record, a 7" vinyl of The Devil went down to Georgia by The Charlie Daniels Band when i was still in single figures, age wise, i have loved music in many different forms and i grew up with Hip Hop from 1984 onward. But, i always kept an interest in forms of music and there are only a few genres i don't like much but, may dabble in them if there is something i like.

So, this Blog will feature anything i like and might be an official release to bandcamp release to a soundcloud release and there will be plenty of different vibes from Hip Hop and rap to rock, jazz, funk, chill hop.... Basically if i like it then I'll review it and i might even review something you ask me to.

One thing I have struggled with as i begin my journey into blogging. I am not very well off at this time and i do not have much funds to go out and get the stuff i enjoy so, i am going to have to rely on borrowed stuff and gifted stuff alongside the small amount of stuff i can afford to get hold of.
But, i will find a way to review things regardless.

Anyway, here is to 2017 being a bumper year of bangers and dope beats to make your eardrums pop.

I'm outta here for now.

Keep ya eye's peeled for the first review coming year soon.

Steve