Скачать или смотреть Chiasm - Major Tom

If there was a piece of Chiasm's near flawless discography that I would label my least favorite, it would likely be Apple Island. But let me clarify that Apple Island is, by no means, bad. In fact, it holds some rather obscure gems in Chiasm's discography that haven't really been given any place to show their beauty. But what I mean is that this appears to be a rather significant shift in style for the Detroit musician, and it can definitely be felt. The swelling, sweeping industrial landscapes have given way to a more personal, electronic dance vibe that is not as expansive or as intense as her output before this point. Reform, her third album, definitely communicated a more down to earth, grounded etherium than her previous output, yet even that was filled with a reverberating, obscure element that made that bridge of the gap more palatable, however this output is far more neurotic than lucid.

For instance, the title track, Apple Island, is akin in a lot of ways to 11:11's second track Angry Tree, which had a similar style to her older output yet still felt more down to earth, natural even. Which perhaps makes sense; Though I'm not sure if Chiasm's work holds any concepts that flow throughout her entire works, I would say that if there were, one of those concepts and themes would be a reliance on technology slowly making way for a connection to nature. Her music has become more analogue over the years, and perhaps even a tad more poppy; Which, again, is not bad at all. In fact, it helps here. Though Apple Island is definitely an industrial piece, with an unsettling, creepy synth lingering at the back of the eardrums like a ghost of a loved one, the song's vocal hooks and the rest of its instrumentation are catchy and can be a real ear worm with repeated listens. I would in fact say that Apple Island, the song itself, is an exceedingly catchy song, a really distinctive transition from the industrial to the electronic.

And then there is the second track, Fake Smile, a track that was first formed on Chiasm's first record - Not her debut, instead her demo (which I would love to track down, for collection purposes). The quality between the two tracks is rather jarring, and yet at the same time, perhaps it is a logical progression; Fake Smile is easily one of the most abrasive songs Chiasm has ever made, and it's unfortunate that not many have heard it. Frought with emotion, the track ticks with the same swelling violence and intrigue that Chiasm's older output displayed. It's honestly my favorite track off of the EP, and that's not just me being an awkward oldfag trying to stop Rohn herself from experimenting in her newer style because I don't like it (I DO like it), I believe that Fake Smile itself, as a song, captures the essence of Rohns music near perfectly, old and new; A discontent paired with a melancholic, angelic beauty that's been drenched in a confusion with the world. Fake Smile sounds primordial, in the best way - Intense, drowning in the swelling reverb and strange, scattered instrumentation deftly placed in the empty space in the mix. It's classic Chiasm! So if this EP contains some of Chiasm's best work, why is it my least favourite of her works?

Well, when you throw the song Major Tom into the equation...

With most Chiasm albums and even EP's, the track placement is near flawless. Everything sounds like it's where it should be. And while Fake Smile is essential Chiasm fare, its music does not really lend itself to the rest of the EP's music. In comes Major Tom. And Major Tom, the song, not the Bowie, is fantastic. Its bassline is nice and catchy, its dancy drum-beat is both pounding and soft, the track's lyrics are bittersweet and lovely, and it offers a good, spacey rhythm. But it follows the rather distraught-soundingFake Smile, and its main synth hook is catchy and energetic, which is what it opens with. These are all very good songs on their own terms, but I believe the problem is that they are rather scattered and poorly arranged as an EP experience. Which is fine, but with Mice on a Wheel (her most recent) and with Prefrontal (her first), the flow was absolutely exceptional, every progression of sound upon those mini-albums sounded incredible. I just think that the placement of one track ruined the flow of this one, perhaps that sounds petty, but I have never cared for this EP as much as I have others. That's not to say it's bad, and like any other electronic lover... Well, it's Chiasm, it's absolutely essential! I highly recommend picking this up, it's only £2.50 on iTunes and holds some really good Chiasm songs, like Apple Island, Fake Smile and the 2 remixes - Hell, even Major Tom is great. It just suffers from a bit of a trouble with track listing.

Buy Apple Island now! https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/app...

I DO NOT OWN CHIASM OR ANY OF THE MUSIC I FEATURE ON MY CHANNEL. THIS MUSIC IS SUBJECT TO CHIASM'S COPYRIGHT AND WILL BE REMOVED UPON REQUEST!