SURVIVE Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Nearing its tenth anniversary, and making us feel like 2008 was just yesterday, it's easy to forget just how much the Mannequin label has contributed over the last ten or so years. This album by Survival, from 2012, was a prime example of the imprint spreading its cold waves good and proper, and it's no wonder that the Holodeck label has decided to reissue it in all its glory. What's more, the record isn't just an essential must have for any fan of dark, brooding stoner rock, it's also a glorious specimen of modern post punk music; too often we've faced with expensive reissues from the 80s, but at least here we have the comfort of knowing that good music is still very much alive. The self-titled LP travels from electronica through to ambient and glitchy lo-fi with utter ease, but we're even more fascinated by its deconstructed sonics and rough, grainy shards of noises. Tunes like "Floating Cube" will no doubt please the bass heads looking for some rarity and glam in their sets, while "Hourglass" offers some wavy techno vibes, and others like "Shunting Yard" are brewed of the finest cocktail of industrial noise and climatic melodies. Heavily tipped!

Review: You might know, or perhaps recognise Survive's music, form the recent, first series of Stranger Things on Netflix. The series was a success thanks to its wonderfully charming plot, but the music throughout its episodes and, particularly on its opening sequence, is what has caught our attention and that of other music fanatics, naturally. The band's style is drenched in an 80s nostalgia that still sounds fiercely new and compelling. Think John Carpenter meets Actress. This new album, RR7349, is everything you could possibly ask for from a synth score, where tracks like "Dirt" or "High Rise" give the genre a sleek and elegant touch. "Wardenclyffe" is another favourite of ours, a magnetic and hummable rhythm, while other, darker pieces like "Sorcerer" emanate a cold yet eye-opening landscape of sounds. This is very warmly recommended, and if you're a fan of peeps like Legowelt, Dopplereffekt, or Actress himself, then this'll undoubtedly suit you nicely.