Release Radar Reviews — 03
Katatonia — Atrium; Angie Oeh — Spicy
This week, I have seen a number of songs pop up on my Spotify Release Radar, but only a few songs really caught my attention. Of those, two songs made me want to write about it.
Katatonia — Atrium || Overall Score 13/20
I discovered Katatonia in 2013. I was going to attend my first European summer metal festival in Germany, Rock Am Ring, and a week later, Download Festival in the UK.
Whilst perusing the lineup for Download, I came across their name and explored their most recent album, Dead End Kings.
The opening track off of that album, The Parting, to this day, is one of my favourite songs of theirs, and probably, all music in general. It is an epic track, and it set me on the path of discovering this amazing band and basking in their prior releases and a keen interest in all later releases.
This is my review of their latest track, Atrium.
Sonic Magic || 4/5
Katatonia has a very unique sound. I think the quality of the instruments' sounds and the overall production is perfect for their style of music. The soundscape is big, really big, and has so much space and atmosphere. Great drum production, big bass and crisp bass tone, and the guitar tone is really tasteful.
Whoever is (are) responsible for the bass tone on this track, deserves special recognition. It is sublime.
Musicianship and technical proficiency || 3/5
This is not a technical song, and Katatonia in my experience do not over-emphasise the technicality of their songs and they certainly never overindulge in the technical. Producing this quality of music requires great musicians, great producers, and lots of experience.
Overall composition & Surprise || 2/5
This is a simple song, in terms of its composition. It follows a very standard formula, hook, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus. The structure has stood the test of time in a world of diminishing attention. There are small variations between the different sections that make a big difference in how this standard structure is experienced.
Vocals || 3/5
Jonas Renkse is not the most theatrical vocalist, nor does he have the most incredible voice.
The way he uses it as the frontman for Katatonia, is very addictive. His choice of melodies and his sombre delivery style, is quite unique in my music library, and I never grow tired of his vocals!
Lyrics || 2/5
I have never really paid any consideration to Katatonia’s lyrics. I have never had the inclination, since 2013, to pay the lyrics any mind.
For this review, I did read the lyrics, and for the most part, it isn’t spectacular, nor is it bad.
Melody/Riff || 4/5
Katatonia have managed to create some of my favourite melodies of all time. The intro of Atrium just immediately pulls you into the world of Katatonia. The chorus really surprises, with quite a happy-sounding melody.
The vocal melody for this song, like the rest of their catalogue, is sublime.
Drums & Percussion || 4/5
I love this style of drumming. I love the single-kick-pedal style. The way the drums complement the song, and the melody, in such an understated manner, is truly satisfying.
Feel || 4/5
The complementarity between the drums, the bass, the vocals, and the lead guitar on this track, creates an experience that draws you into the melody of this song.
Specifically, the bass and drums in the verse. The guitars and vocals create serenity and forward momentum, and the drums and the bass create tension by disrupting the flow.
Then in the chorus, all the instruments work together to release the tension and before it returns to the verse, the short post-chorus takes you a step back to expect some tension-building interrupted flow.
It is spectacular.
Emotional epicness || 4/5
The combination of the guitar and vocal melodies creates an incredible poetic feeling. the arrangement in the background of this track specifically creates a sensation of witnessing something magical.
Katatonia sets an intense mood, not sad, just serious and appreciative. This song is no different.
Recommended tracks from Katatonia
Angie oeh— Spicy|| 14/20
Right off the bat, this framework perhaps does not represent a truly objective perspective on music. It is well biased towards my personal preferences in music, which for the most part, is metal.
Every now and then I find a little guilty pleasure.
I found Angie oeh on Instagram a few weeks ago and started exploring her music. I am a seriously big fan of her recent releases. It has none of the technicality that I am usually attracted to, or the big theatrical storytelling, or the perfect balance between complexity and melody.
Yet, I have spent more time listening to the 4 singles from her upcoming EP, Mooiste Meisies, than I did the new Alter Bridge, or Architects, so far.
Herewith is a review of Spicy.
Sonic Magic || 4/5
The thing about electronic music, is that the production is generally top quality. This hits the spot for me. Big low end, deliberately electronic-sounding drums. The approach is minimalist, and I really like it.
Musicianship and technical proficiency || NA
Rap and electronic music are not my fortes. I don’t know what constitutes a good electronic producer from a bad one, or a good rapper from a bad one.
I have elected to omit this section from my rating.
Overall composition & Surprise || 1/5
This is a very standard song. From a compositional perspective, there is minimal variance, and it pains me to penalise this amazing track by my own stupid framework. the composition is simple by design, as it is the style of music, and overcomplicating it, would ruin it, in my opinion.
If however, this were a 6-minute track, with more moods, and specifically, more patience, I think it would be magical.
Vocals || 3/5
From what I have been reading, this falls into the category of mumble rap, which to be fair, until I read that last week, I didn’t know was a thing. Shows my ignorance, I suppose.
I think people underestimate just how difficult it is to get the timing right in music. With electronic production, it is fairly easy (it can quickly sound quite robotic if you don’t know what you are doing), everything is on a grid.
Except for the vocals. Someone has to sing that in time (for the most part at least, nowadays the timing can be adjusted without anyone being able to tell.) Still, I am near-certain that what we are hearing from Angie oeh, is just spot-on delivery. I think a rapper with bad timing is a non-starter.
Lyrics || 5/5
The lyrics, don’t connect with me in a meaningful way. I am a straight white male. No amount of empathy can reasonably endear me to the life of a lesbian (my assumption, given her lyrics and public figure) mumble rapper from Die Moot, in Pretoria, the middle-class Calvinist capital of South Africa.
That said. The lyrics are spectacular. It tells a direct, non-apologetic love story, an appreciation song to a girl.
It is a great mixture between Afrikaans and English, and if I weren’t fluent in both languages, I would be lost.
Melody/Riff || 5/5
It is catchy as hell. Damn. The vocal melody, the percussive support, and the keys in the background. I am a sucker for a good melody, and this has that in spades.
Feel || 5/5
I think, at least half the reason I like this song so much, is because of the tempo and the ample groove it provides. I count it at 163BPM. I am not sure if that is fast for electronic music, but in metal music, I like a good 160BPM track.
Emotional epicness || 2/5
I like the experience of this track. It makes me very satisfied with life. That said, it does not rank with Gone with the Wind from Architects in terms of emotional valence. It wasn’t designed to.
Other songs from Angie oeh you have to try
About Release Radar Reviews
Release Radar Reviews focuses on a few songs from my Spotify Release Radar, songs of my own choice, to review according to the principles discussed in this article.
I will review new releases, and where possible, will contrast the latest release(s) from any particular artist, to some of their older songs. I will try to choose representative older songs, that in my opinion, set the watermark for this artist, or at least for the style of the song in question.
I will also, where possible, write a short impression to corroborate my opinion on the matter.
