ARTIST: SPC ECO
RELEASE: All We Have Is Now
RELEASE DATE: 25/03/16
RECORD COMPANY: Self Released
Another day, and another new album from the ever prolific SPC ECO (ex-Curve’s Dean Garcia and his daughter Rose Berlin). The pair continue to lay down entrancing mind vibes with their electronic dream pop, always drenched in moody atmospherics and cold wave sonics. This release came out just before Easter and was self-released via Bandcamp. They are signed to Saint Marie Records, so maybe this will come out later on that Texas imprint.
So, first off, I can say that thankfully there’s no apparent Auto-Tune on here. So that’s a big yay! When you have a voice as sublime as Rose’s, there’s no need for faux effects. Opening track “Troubles Deep” is all minor chord keyboard wash and rainy Monday vocals, cheerless and creepy, even while its cool trippy music reels you in. “All Gone” continues the spacey vibe with a throbbing backbeat and its tones are familiar and somewhat comforting. I mean, SPC ECO’s music is a known quantity you can always count on. “Slow Down” is mesmerizing electronica with some cool Hauntology synth lines tossed in. It’s further enhanced by Rose’s lovely, watery vocals, and could be the perfect soundtrack to your favorite horror flick.
“Hunger Pains” has an industrial sheen with a gritty backdrop, and only Rose’s voice emits a glimmer of light in the deep shadows of this music. “Daylight” is surprisingly light, starting off with screeching gulls and morphing into an almost upbeat song. “All In Your Mind” is laden with found sounds (police sirens and game beeps), which lends an interesting twist to what could be a dance floor favorite. “Nobody Knows” has treated vocals, but they are used to great effect here, becoming an almost secondary instrument in the sound tapestry. “All We Have Is Now” is the album closer and it veers closer to shoegaze than most of their material. Its majestic drones fill your brain with blinding white light, finishing up this album on a grand scale.
Highly recommended for all existing Curve and SPC-ECO fans as well as those who like their dream pop dark.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Music has always been a driving force for Elizabeth Klisiewicz, which she days “continues to define my existence”. During and after her college years, she ran a weekly radio show at WMUA FM Radio and also at a community station in Springfield, MA, in addition to writing music and concert reviews for the college newspaper. At present, she writes for The Big Takeover Magazine and The Active Listener Blog, and recently began producing a semi-regular Mixcloud-based show called The Kitchen Sink. In the real world, when not writing technical manuals, she gets her thrills from reading mysteries, birdwatching, and can always be found with a camera and a maxed-out storage card full of music.
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