After a year of touring in the States and Europe as the drummer of Psych Trio Desert Mountain Tribe (supporting Bauhaus frontman Peter Murphy), London based artist Frank van der Ploeg a.k.a VAN ELST, shape-shifted his Psychedelic Rock background into a style which he describes as a dark, dreamy, electronic, yet romantic set of sounds. This clearly reflects in this new release called ‘Home' ,which was written in an atmosphere of uncertainty. The musical elements in 'Home' allude the paradoxical current state of the world, the human desire to explore the outside and beyond whilst being enforced to stay at home.
VAN ELST - HOME
VAN ELST sculpts sound with the delicate textures of “Home”. Inclusion of a grand variety of different styles filters into the mix. Electro, industrial, dream pop with an intense flair, there is a surrealness to the way it unfurls. Lyrics go for a lovely cadence the way they simply wax poetic. Repetition is key for there is a certain mantra that comes alongside the looping aspect. Asian elements appear within the tactile sounds further lending it a sort of global quality. By keeping everything rather atmospheric it lingers in the mind long after the track has ended.
Epic drones introduce the piece. Setting the tone, they prove to be a critical element of the overall path. Beats hit hard with a sheer physicality, the bass simply crunching. Vocals opt for something ethereal while they blend into the overall cadence of the sound. By keeping things rather spacious there is a psychedelic element to it that only grows with time. Looping further adds to this hypnotic quality for it all simply stuns in a way that is so tremendously powerful. Echoing effects further emphasize the whole waking dream quality of it all, helping to disorient the listener and distort time. Rhythms chug along with an almost force of nature approach, going more for emotional impact, serving as punctuation to the importance of the lyricism.
“Home” reveals VAN ELST to be a true purveyor of finely attuned textures, creating a universe unto itself. Review by Beachsloth.
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