Black Math
General
| Aug 2011
Reviews
HYPRK
Reviewed 2011-09-12
Reviewed 2011-09-12
The second pressing of the debut LP from Chicago darkwave trio Black Math. Originally released on vinyl, the band decided to re-release it through PlusTapes when fans started scalping the originals for $120. Although staying true to their morbid shadowy moniker, it’s nice to see them branch out from all the played-out goth themes and overdone “Now That’s What I Call 80’s Synth Pop” meanderings. Rocking riffs, basement production standards, and boppy synth anthems. What could possibly go wrong?
FCC CLEAN
RIYL: Joy Division, Dum Dum Girls, Blank Dogs, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Hozac Records
*1. Gritty bottom-of-the-dial rock. Catchy guitar triplets, chipper drum machine, and pained lyrics.
2. Noisy, metallic rocker with grungy female vocals hidden in the murk.
*3. Too-cool-for-school synth pop instrumental.
4. Midtempo, melancholic. Growling gain-strained guitars and groaning cello.
5. Gallopy, bouncing instrumental. Sparse and mature, a bit desolate.
6. Classic 80’s drum-machine, droopy strings, and icy dark lyrics sneered into the mic. Dancey at times.
*7. “Instrumental 1.” True to its name, but far from boring. Prancing sci-fi raver-rock with grainy powerchords scrawled all over a dancey 808 drum machine beat.
8. Echoey and distant. Dark, brooding minor chords with a spooky late-night carnival vibe.
*9. Instrumental. Frantic, jangly pop with drums hitting in all the right places. Nice grungy distorted electric cello.
10. Agitated but minimal. Nice crooning but not much in the way of lyrics. Sparse production makes the guitar solos that much better.
*11. Buzzy humming synthesizer waves, busy percussion, fuzzed-out lyrics. Dancey frantic vibe. Instant favorite.
FCC CLEAN
RIYL: Joy Division, Dum Dum Girls, Blank Dogs, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Hozac Records
*1. Gritty bottom-of-the-dial rock. Catchy guitar triplets, chipper drum machine, and pained lyrics.
2. Noisy, metallic rocker with grungy female vocals hidden in the murk.
*3. Too-cool-for-school synth pop instrumental.
4. Midtempo, melancholic. Growling gain-strained guitars and groaning cello.
5. Gallopy, bouncing instrumental. Sparse and mature, a bit desolate.
6. Classic 80’s drum-machine, droopy strings, and icy dark lyrics sneered into the mic. Dancey at times.
*7. “Instrumental 1.” True to its name, but far from boring. Prancing sci-fi raver-rock with grainy powerchords scrawled all over a dancey 808 drum machine beat.
8. Echoey and distant. Dark, brooding minor chords with a spooky late-night carnival vibe.
*9. Instrumental. Frantic, jangly pop with drums hitting in all the right places. Nice grungy distorted electric cello.
10. Agitated but minimal. Nice crooning but not much in the way of lyrics. Sparse production makes the guitar solos that much better.
*11. Buzzy humming synthesizer waves, busy percussion, fuzzed-out lyrics. Dancey frantic vibe. Instant favorite.
Recent airplay
The Mirror Has 2 Eyes
Deathcrush — Nov 14, 2013
I Keep On Saying The Same Thing
razor's edge — Nov 16, 2011
I Keep On Saying The Same Thing
The Crooked Spoke Adjacent — Oct 23, 2011
I Keep On Saying The Same Thing
razor's edge — Oct 19, 2011
Eyes Water
Brownian Motion — Oct 19, 2011
Instrumental
The Crooked Spoke Adjacent — Oct 16, 2011
Charting
2011-09-25 — 2011-11-27
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| Nov 20 | 1 |
| Oct 30 | 1 |
| Oct 23 | 3 |
| Oct 16 | 1 |
| Oct 9 | 2 |
| Oct 2 | 5 |
Track listing
| 1. | Eyes Water | ||
| 2. | Reading Mysteries | ||
| 3. | Triumph Burns | ||
| 4. | Carry That Weight | ||
| 5. | Did He Get To You First? | ||
| 6. | Walking At Night | ||
| 7. | Instrumental | ||
| 8. | The Mirror Has 2 Eyes | ||
| 9. | Instrumental 2 | ||
| 10. | On The Block | ||
| 11. | I Keep On Saying The Same Thing |