Entertainment for the Braindead – Seven + 1 (Aaahh Records)
One of the first reviews I did was of EftB’s second album ‘Hydrophobia’ which I liberally gushed over like a teenage girl meeting Ronan Keating (or whoever the kids dig these days), an enthusiasm which hasn’t been dulled by time given that it’s still on my MP3 player and in habitual rotation. So, new album, good news right?
Well ‘Seven’ is largely more of the same in a slightly more evolved way, some of the rought edges have been smoothed down a little bit although the feel of delicate eeriness remains even if a dash of it’s charm has, perhaps, been lost by virtue of sounding so smooth. But Julia Kotowski’s (the German Renaissance girl behind this Solo project) voice still doesn’t disappoint, fitting perfectly into this ethereal, dancing with nymphs at full moon in the forest sort of album. The edge from ‘Hydophobia’ hasn’t just been smoothed down sound wise but it also feels as if it’s been softened a bit, or at least cut back, with some tracks veering towards gently haunting where others stick with EftB’s traditional feel of unnerving, slightly tense darkness. The latter, in my opinion, still being more interesting and taking better advantage of Julia’s voice which really can pull out a measure of serene coldness which impresses.
This is being released as an intermediary EP though, a product of recent touring which is, to quote Julia’s MySpace ‘… not a full release…, more like something in the middle of things that have been and things that are going to be. But anyway, I hope you like it.’ so it might just be a call to drag your attention back in EftB’s direction in anticipation of what’s going to appear next.
Certainly worth a download no matter how limited a release it supposedly is and what comes next should really be something to keep an eye out for. Plus Julia is, apparently, still touring around and about Germany so if you’re in the area give her a listen.