The Vaporatix - Eternal Night

The Vaporatix is an electronic duo consisting of Dan Moxham and Stu Morgan. While there is not a significant history available online about the duo, the idea behind their project is to bring "subsonic hertz back to the future." Their debut album is titled "Eternal Night" and follows a projection of a dystopian future. However, this is not the type of electronic album that utilizes heavy synth riffs and darkened assaults on the ears to manifest this bleak and imaginary fate. Rather, the project uses acoustics mixed with chill electronics to a certain degree of success.

The first track on the album is 'Phantom Cosmonaut' and it's not the best track in the world. Following acoustic strings with a whirring synth in the background, it's not really engaging nor is it fun to follow along. It lasted for nearly three minutes and the whole time I felt as if it was a bare bones introduction to a song that was about to break out...But never did. Thankfully, the following song 'Terraform' chimes in with a more substantial beat. Upon hearing the first thirty seconds of the track, I could only think that this music was suited for a Western set in space. Acoustic guitars play over a bouncy beat and dual vocals, one more faded than the other, hits wonderfully. 

The fun continues with 'Neon Detonator'. Utilizing influences from rock and even a little post-punk, the fuzzy guitars and slapping drum work make for a fun and frenetic track. I feel as if the vocals were a little lost in the mix, however, as both the guitars and the drums overpowered them a little too much. 'Red and Gold' brought to mind the theme of a space western once more. However, it has an undeniable four-on-the-floor club beat that's nonchalant. It made me think of a futuristic space bar where sad souls come to meet in the vein of forgetting past mistakes.

'If You Survive' took me aback for being such and epic and cinematic track. Sweeping synths, faded robotic vocals, and metallic drum work all come together to make a song that sounds like a theme song for a journey through space and time. One again, 'Door' brings to mind the theme of space western, thanks to a thumpy rhythm and clean and clear vocals. Acoustics are utilized to their maximum on this track. Around the three-minute and seven second mark, a noisy synth comes in and disturbs the mood. It was an okay inclusion at first, but as the song goes on it completely takes over and ruins the beauty that was going on. 

I feel as if 'Great Unknown' is incohesive in what it wants to do, with electronic notes that never really solidify. It sounds as if a rhythm is attempted only to draw back on its premise. Though the song has stellar drum work, I could not get into it no matter how many times I tried. I don't feel strongly one way or the other regarding 'Rose', but rather apathetic. It's not great, nor terrible, but there are other songs on the album I'd rather listen to than this one. 'Black Sun' inhales post-punk once more and the final track on the album is an experimental ambient piece with piano work that is pretty. 

The Vaporatix's "Eternal Night", then, is a mixed bag of tracks with more positive then negative statements. The tracks I feel most strongly about and would recommend to anyone would be 'If You Survive', 'Terraform', and 'Neon Detonator'. A lot of the other songs are kind of middling, and there are a few I can't stand such as 'Great Unknown' and 'Phantom Cosmonaut'. Despite that, I still outweigh the cons with the pros and feel as if "Eternal Night" is a good-but-flawed album. Therefore I give is a six out of ten. 

This review was commissioned through our Ko-fi page.
Jun 13 2021