Written by: The Administrator
A premiere for Spectrum, the debut album from Am I In Trouble? Hosted at Sleeping Village Reviews?! No need, dear reader, to feign shock; this was always inevitable. Less a question of "if," and rather a question of "when?" I'm pleased to announce that the wait is over. The time is now. If the name Am I in Trouble? doesn't ring a bell, I recommend checking out our fairly extensive catalog of coverage. During the extensive buildup to the Jan. 3rd drop, we've covered three tracks available pre-release: check out writeups for Red, White, and Black. A common theme of said reviews is the clarity of Am I in Trouble's varied and vibrant songwriting in the pursuit of an aesthetic homage to 90's Scandinavian avant-garde black metal oddity. While the aforementioned songs are quite distinct from a sonic perspective, they share a common tendency to resist stagnation. The Am I in Trouble? playbook emphasizes constant motion and evolution, which allows for the dynamic juxtaposition of some remarkable extremes. Going from gentle to aggressive and back again is hardly a new trick in the world of metal, but multi-instrumentalist mastermind Steve Wiener wields a uniquely honed sense of unpredictability. This results in some incredibly flexible songcraft. With that said, a distinct and uncanny cohesion pervades. We get more in-depth below, but lest we lose sight of the plot, we slumbering scribes are excited to premiere (in full!) the excellent Spectrum a few days prior to release. Give it a well-deserved listen! We'll meet you, as always, on the other side.
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Written by: The Administrator
Welcome back to AMPWALL Roundup, our new column dedicated to shining a little light on music that we slumbering scribes find whilst trawling through the explore page over on Ampwall. That "random tag" search feature has turned up some good stuff over the past week. If you don't know what this whole Ampwall thing is all about, please take a quick gander at Volume I, where we get a little more in-depth regarding the many virtues of the new platform/marketplace/community. We here at ye olde Sleeping Village are big advocates for the integration of additional resources into the independent artist's promo toolkit. To that end, having more music-purchasing people become aware of Ampwall's existence will only help it grow as a viable option moving forward. Anyways, let's get to the music! Below are 6 (more!) bands I highly recommend checking out. 
Written by: The Adminstrator
It's been a while since we've published a mini-review 'round these parts. But today, as I exist in the dull yet painful aftermath of some fairly intrusive dental surgery, I'm ready to listen to the same song on repeat until I miraculously spawn a writeup that encompasses all my thoughts and feelings. That, dear reader, is how this process works. Anyways! On to Ainor's delightful "City Lights," today's track in question. If you're unfamiliar, Ainor is a bit of a musical anomaly and enigma, with projects seemingly spanning the musical spectrum. With "City Lights," a single released on June 2nd, we're treated to an overtly alt-rockin' aesthetic, the likes of which I am personally very fond. Upon hearing a rough mix of "City Lights," my initial reaction was, and I quote: "Really enjoyable! Very nostalgic vibe without feeling antiquated." Completed mix in hand, and some time and multiple listens later, I can confirm that this assessment has held up quite well. In some respects, the track recalls the early 2000's alternative radio rock of my childhood in the best of ways. It's the kind of song I would hunt down and subsequently transfer to my 512Mb Transcend T.Sonic 310 MP3 Player (in red, obviously). The vocals across the first half are emotive and just a tad cloudy, soaring yet tinged with a nice angsty patina. The chorus is catchy, a really singalong. The midsection, however, feels like a more grown-up take on the genre's implicit sense of youth, with some nice drum presence and a whispered and dramatic build into some comparatively raspy and aggressive vocals that sit beneath the choruses' triumphant return. It makes for a pretty damn energetic and climatic moment. For a four minute track, this thing breezes by, with the runtime broken into engaging segments in a fairly seamless fashion. Highly listenable stuff. While I'm a fan of the Ainor ethos in general, should we get more stuff of this ilk, I'll be first in line to check it out! Ainor - City Lights was released June 2nd. Find it here!
Ainor can be found:
Bandcamp 
Written by: The Administrator
Whomst among us is ambivalent about the ocean? I may be way off the mark, but it seems as though opinions towards the deep blue sea trend towards the extremes. Representing a certain landlubbery perspective, several of my fellow inksplattered scribes experience an abject terror when it comes to the ocean's vastness. As for me, I'm smitten by the serene chaos of breakers, the lushness and oddity of aquatic life, and the eventual call of the sodden void. Representing perhaps the pinnacle of oceanic fandom, Into The Deep demonstrates a deep fascination and reverence for the ocean. This is a fact that is immediately apparent--everything from their moniker to their artwork to their track titles and band bio and beyond reeks of brine. I absolutely love a band with a singular focus, and when they play music this good, I can't help but sing their praises. Blackfin came out Jan. 3rd, and I haven't stopped listening yet. It is my favorite EP of 2024 thusfar. 
Written by: The Administrator
I must admit: I feel like a bit of a tease when it comes to premiering this particular track. Listening to a single song in isolation from By Torchlight's forthcoming A Night To Remember is a little like ripping a random chapter out of a mystery novel and attempting to piece together the narrative without a true beginning or end. However, a lil' intrigue goes a long way, and in the case of "A Dangerous Game," today's track in question, I hope yer investigative acumen is primed and ready to fire. A Night To Remember is, in the artist's words, a thrilling tale of betrayal and murder. The narrative follows the trials (and trails) of private detective Stephen North, who catches the scent of one murderous Mr. White. Hijinks ensue. "A Dangerous Game" is the fourth track, and, as ye shall soon hear, details the a mourder most foul. Listen below! As always, we'll be lurking on the other side. |
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