Somehow managing to blend the minimalist electronic rhythms of coldwave with the warmth of the analog synthesizer microcosm, Austin's SURVIVE originally unleashed their debut LP to nominal fanfare back in 2012 via Berlin's Mannequin imprint. Highly cinematic and full of bombast, yet speckled with moments of ambient drift, the album has now received a welcome vinyl reissue courtesy of the quartet's home city hero imprint Holodeck (along with Light Lodge and 540 Records), who have been responsible for rescuing many wonderful works from dwelling in obscurity limbo.
The product of analog synth purists, SURVIVE is a highly textured, retro-futuristic glance at a dark planet rimmed by the sun's rays. As each moody, melodic piece weaves a sinister tale as it progresses, so the fact that two of the album's tracks — the highly propulsive "Hourglass" and the nightmarish "Omniverse" — have since found their way to the soundtrack of 2014 thriller The Guest (Adam Wingard) is not a surprise. The real shock is that word is just getting out now about the tense yet beautiful music pouring from this talented cadre of synthesists.
(Holodeck)The product of analog synth purists, SURVIVE is a highly textured, retro-futuristic glance at a dark planet rimmed by the sun's rays. As each moody, melodic piece weaves a sinister tale as it progresses, so the fact that two of the album's tracks — the highly propulsive "Hourglass" and the nightmarish "Omniverse" — have since found their way to the soundtrack of 2014 thriller The Guest (Adam Wingard) is not a surprise. The real shock is that word is just getting out now about the tense yet beautiful music pouring from this talented cadre of synthesists.