aaamusic | On 31, Oct 2011

San Francisco’s electronic noise post-punks The Soft Moon are set to release Total Decay EP their follow up their self-titles debut and given the cold, dark nature of their music what beter day to release it than on Halloween.

The four piece group originally started life as the solo project of band leader Luis Vasquez in 2009 and after releasing the band previous efforts as a solo artist he has incorporated the group into this record and to make the live show a full sensory experience.

Over the course of the four tracks on Total Decay you are surrounded by the dystopia drones of the synthesizers and blasts of distorted noise. And it’s great!

As with much of droning music in this ilk it can be easy to overanalyse it. Whilst there is a lot of depth to this music to get the most out of it you need to just let it wash over you.

That may seem counter-initiative given the abrasiveness of music but the reason why it washes over you is because it is so absorbing and the production behind just surrounds you covering you in a blanket of distortion.

Taking cues from the late 70’s and early 80’s synth bands they do have a slightly gothic edge mixing the likes of Suicide, Danse Society and pummelling drums and beats of Throbbing Gristle it creates something that may not quite be as disturbing as them, it’s certainly less of an endurance test listening to this, it is something than references past music and brings it forward complete with visuals.

 

Barry Grey