Southwild - Meanwhile In Kreuzberg

[yerg]

 

Label: Wild Things Records

Country: UK

Released: April 8, 2019

Style: Psy-Trance

Bandcamp

 

Tracklist:

1. Little Green Man 07:26

2. Canabians 07:01

3. Southwild and ZZbing - L<3ve Drugs 07:23

4. Finanigans 07:55

5. The Funk Family 07:11

6. The Flying Toad 07:16

7. Get Real 07:54

8. Southwild & Chris Rich - On The Fly 07:42

9. Brain Needle 06:11

10. No Output 08:06

 

This is Southwild's third album on Wild Things label, which is the main reason why I've decided to give it a go. This record label has been releasing some awesome stuff in the past, and there is always a high quality standard present in all their realeases.

So what is UK Style? I guess different poeple will define it differently, but my guess is that it's something in between Forest and Night Full-on, which probably might not make much sense, but that's how it sounds to me anyway.

 

REVIEW

 

1. Little Green Man 07:26

Minimalistic and progressive by nature, this is what a UK Style sounds like to me. It does swing towards the darkpsy territory, but only slightly.

The opening track is quite simple and totally functional. There are no out of ordinary twists and turns here, it's a psy-trance for the working class.

3/5

2. Canabians 07:01

The second track already has more power from the very beginning. The shifts in sound are edgier this time, although the grindy bassline never changes and stays strictly in the background. I still like it more than the first track.

4/5

3. Southwild and ZZbing - L<3ve Drugs 07:23

Love Drugs truly takes off after the first breakdown, which consists of a vocal sample that ends with hysterical laughter. Then things really hit hard, and that's when I started to pay attention.

The last bit of the piece exploits some mean sound effects and everything sort of drowns in it. Really nice.

4/5

4. Finanigans 07:55

I have no idea who Finanigans are, but damn they must be some wicked folks. At about 3 minute mark some heavy synths start crashing into the speakers, and then follows a slinky melodic line, and a really fine one.

It's another winner in my book.

4/5

5. The Funk Family 07:11

Track #5 provides the same kind of ride as the opening track, although this one is definitely heavier. All the same. It's a good ol' functional psy-trance.

3/5

6. The Flying Toad 07:16

What a fantastic opening this track has with its delayed snare drums and some other samples that swirl around creating a fascinating effect.

Then, a vocal sample interrupts the track and everything goes into frenzy. The last bit of the piece introduces some more weirdness in the form of various sound effects that keep on delivering.

5/5

7. Get Real 07:54

From the get-go this track smashes. It's full of vintage computer or old video game sounds, which can be used to a great effect in psy-trance, and they fit here pretty well.

Overall, Get Real is relentless from beginning to end, and there is only one actual breakdown in the last third of the track. It also gets a lot crazier and more intense by the end.

4/5

8. Southwild & Chris Rich - On The Fly 07:42

Here's another hard-hitter! While the previous track used old computer sounds, in this one Southwild plays with distorted vocals.

It gets weirder in the second half trying to build up to something, but never really arrives anywhere. Still a very good track.

4/5

9. Brain Needle 06:11

The shortest track on the album is getting ever closer to the contemporary dark psy territory, and unfortunately, it's not very appealing... at least to me.

I like creative dark tracks, but this one just seems to repeat the popular trends within the scene, which makes it kinda boring.

3/5

10. No Output 08:06

Freaky is the best word to describe this final piece. While Brain Needle was bordering on darkpsy, this one firmly steps into the swamps of the forest psy.

I guess fans of the forest sound will love this one, but I may be wrong haha

3/5

---

Well, this is definitely a Wildthings album, no doubt. It's pretty intense throughout with only a couple of dull tracks. So, if you like Wildthings, this one will not disappoint.

Hands down the best track on the album is The Flying Toad. It's not a masterpiece, but it is a solid, solid piece of UK style. A proper banger!

3.7/5

[Manuser]

Very solid album indeed, really like this smooth yet aggressive sound, grainy and organic, with the usual characteristics of the genre (use of twisted metallic sounds, variations in bassline layers). Recommended.