UP 2 ASHES - Elapse: Act 1

This is a decently new release just coming out naught but a week ago and it's a collaboration between two projects: GReeNOX, a Russian project that mainly delves into the electronic rock and D'n'B side, and Maks_SF, a Belorussian musician who does soundtrack music delving around electronic soundtrack music.

Now, the project aims to create a series of albums, this being the first act with more to come in the seeable future. Though one of my biggest complaints about this album would be that it's only fifteen minutes in length, the short lived songs certainly make up for that.

Starting with New Rave, we're given a primarily dubstep and D'n'B song. There are tinges of electronic rock place in it, as well, but the wobbles that are felt throughout really take precedent over all else.

Interceptor comes in next as a sort of ambient song at first, focusing on minimal sounds and having a main synth line to carry it through. As the song builds up, more electronic sounds accumulate to a breaking point. A few more dubstep influences, but not enough to completely render the song into that category, carry forth with a scream. And, for the last half minute or so, we're delivered more ambient music. The song pretty much did a complete loop.

The title song of the album came off with some nice piano music, each note ringing in a higher pitched ambient sound right behind it. As the keys continue to play, it gets to a point where more electronics play in the background to create an epic, movie-like sound.

Amb13nt plays right up to the title; this is an ambient song with a main synth note able to evoke a calm over a storm. There's a slight beat in the background that's sort of faded, and moves slow to compensate for the tone of the song.

CakeLicker, as odd as a title that may be, is pretty awesome. Throwing back to the 80s that were filled with so many retro games, this song definitely gives a modern nod to the games of past. Most notably, I think, would be shooters that had you flying in space ships killing aliens and what not, defending the Earth.

And, lastly, Essence bears before me as another soothing song. Playing well within the electronic field, it's quiet up until about the final quarter of the song. Guitar comes in to send us off in a neat fashion before shutting us out with some more quiet tones; think back to what I said about Interceptor.

And, well, from two guys I've never heard of before, this is one hell of an album. The two talents definitely embraced each other more than expected, and created a diverse range of sounds and music. It seems as if they both took turns dominating one song after the next. The electronic guitar ridden nature of GReeNOX perfectly complimented Maks_SF's soundtrack qualities. I just can't wait to see what these two will do next. May 21 2014