EP Review | Clerques Deliver Some Sinister elevator music
Imagine this scenario, boys and girls. It’s late at night and you’re in an unfamiliar apartment. You take an elevator to get to the bottom floor and suddenly the lights go out. Then, to make things worse, the elevator breaks down, and there’s no escape. Now, you’re trapped in that elevator all by yourself. Out of nowhere, brooding, atmospheric, nightmarish music begins to play. This EP from Clerques is what you hear.
elevator music is fantastic. Atmospherically, a lot of the music reminds me of Underworld’s ‘Born Slippy (Nuxx)’. There’s also influence from David Bowie’s ’90s period, Nine Inch Nails, Joy Division, Pet Shop Boys, and early Iggy Pop. However, there are minor criticisms. The vocals are slightly too low in the mix on a couple of the tracks, and the mix itself is sometimes uneven.
But these are just small flaws—this is one of the best releases of 2019 in any genre. It’s dark, mysterious, raw and, at times, quite hypnotic—you never know what to expect. elevator music shifts from pulsing, club type music to the score of a psychological thriller. The guitars really shine on this release, creepy and pretty at the same time. Clerques have delivered a perfect fusion of electronic music, trippy sounds and dark, atmospheric ambience.
Clerques have a knack for well-crafted song structures and memorable endings. Their songwriting is stellar, their sound is unique, and they have mastered the art of creating surreal, dark, ambient music. As a musician myself, it’s exactly the type of music I like to make, and these guys are setting a new standard in the genre.
I recommend you listen to this release, it’s quite an experience. I hope Clerques go on to achieve significant success, because they deserve it. Here’s some advice, if you’re out by yourself in an unfamiliar area at night and you hear this music—run.
