Anaru - Cold Zero
Long time since last time. Kalteldur reviewed the cult only-digital debut-album release named Rising Storm with Anaru way back in 2017. It was a VERY great debut, and I couldn´t help looking forward to hearing new material from this mysterious cyberpunk inspired Lithuanian electro-based project. This time we are facing a physical cassette-tape release via our favorite U.S industrial label Black Ring Rituals (see former releases!). Only 25 copies, but there is STILL some left at Black Ring Rituals (So be fast!).
First track Operacija Cold Zero enters cold soundtrack-based ritual music, very metallic... very hypnotic intro. Try to imagine sedatives being injected into you before an operation, that kind of touch!. Next track Vienintelė opcija - į pražūtį! works around the same hypnotic (and darkly futuristic) mood. Digital computer noises, train-like screams, whispering and echoed east-European voices and an exquisite and eerie rain-dropping on sheets kind of rhythm. The third track enters a more technoid isolated-feel. The coldness of the rhythms plus the almost psychedelic eerieness of the mood makes me think of U.S-based Illusion of Safety. I also can´t help thinking of Autechre´s classic Basscadet from their early years, you´ll know what I mean when you hear this track. The warped and multilayered samples here works REALLY good with the skeletal rhythms. Fourth track Ascetique Inhumane expands the eerieness even further, adding tribal rhythms, howling from a wolf... with a VERY weird and interesting soundtrack background recording which I cannot identify. I know that it does sound weird with a wolf howling with tribal rhythms on something being... cyberpunk inspired (BUT) I think it works for some reason unknown! Fifth track with it clinal aggressive drummings and vacuum-like soundscapes ends the A-side of the tape very nicely.
The B-side starts off with ėnomąsapisaižreV {system_reboots}, the longest track on the album (7 minutes). Static electrocution-sounds, deep ambient-synths, looped echoed voices and with a haunting and ghost-like tv-sample mood playing backward... actually kind of disturbing (in a good way of course!). The second on the B-side offers post-war-themed shellshock aesthetics of utter doom. Imagining a huge city being in total ruins, the radioactive matter cannot be avoided. Third track starts off with the alarm sounding (as if it wasn't enough standing in a ruined radioactive city!). Rhythms are added here, with something on the synth sounding like a melody. Almost being a jolly track with a danceable melody attached to it. I know I know, most people would probably think that the electronic drums are too primitive sounding... but I think that in the overall context it does have a certain charm. Next track Ordo welcomes the listener with the sound of diving German Stuka bombers (I think). The last you would hear before... well... The alarms are still ringing with this track. No doubt about it that a world war is close by. Last two tracks on this album being Club Bonus tracks, extra tracks for the thirsty. First one working as an outro sort of, resampling the intro track on the A-side of the album. Second (and last) track on the album closes it all up with an upbeat psychedelic treat, time to wake up from your sedative/operation?. Let us hope that the operation has been a success!.
If you like the first album with Anaru, then this second release is a must to check up on. Functioning as a sort of continuation of the first Anaru release. Need a decent and unique cyberpunk mood, here is a good place to start! Remember to be QUICK on the cassette (link below).
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