Neo Dimes – Alone
Denver, Colorado gifts us Neo Dimes – Stephen Edmunds’ primary, dystopia-inspired musical outlet. With mechanical auditory environments, ghostly vocals, and a shoegaze-y feel with EDM and industrial rock influences, Alone looks to address the social downfalls of the digital age as well as the battle within the self.
Song one, “Beasts,” is immediately notable for its reverbed-out depth. There is a slew of haunting keys and vocals, with the line, “Come down feed the need / Look now you’re the beast,” getting stuck in your head on repeat. The song eventually quiets into blips and bloops as well as a chant of the aforementioned line. After a breakdown of intense drum and bass, the song expands into a wide soundscape of sizzling electronics.
Across the next amalgamation of tunes, there are riveting drums, mind-bending guitar leads, and bleeding synthesizers. Song six, “Don’t Think,” stands out due to the way it slams you with its machine-like electronic beat. Edmunds himself sings, “… distort the sound,” and that’s exactly what he does. Vivid keyboards wash across your head, while the sour notes of electric guitar and hellish synthetic noises rouse you.
“How to Love,’ Track eight, begins with a sonic rush of percussion and chorused guitar. A wavering six-string plays in the right ear as the song trudges forward. A clean guitar tone and clapping fuel an eventual explosion of music. There are the gentle raising of synth pads and a pitch-perfect ride cymbal to note as well. One thing that also captured my attention was the almost-hidden distorted guitar.
All in all, Alone is a consistent machine of social warfare and aural revolution. Despite some personal setbacks, Edmunds produced a wonderful album full of tasty audio engineering, mesmerizing electronic landscapes, and adept lyricism. Neo Dimes is FFO Nine Inch Nails, Front Line Assembly, and Depeche Mode. Listen to Neo Dimes’ debut album on Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp.
Categorised in: Album Reviews, New Music
This post was written by Jake Sessanna