M1nk – Em One En Kay (CD Album – Seja Records)
Genre/Influences: Experimental, downtempo, jazzy.
Background/Info: M1nk was set up by the English-Greek duoErika Bach – Barry Snaith. After two singles released last year on Seja Records, they’re now back on track unleashing their debut full length. The title “Em One En Kay” is the way you’ve to pronounce the band name.
Content: The least I can say is that M1nk is hard to label. They’re inspired by bands such as Portishead and Tricky, which is an element you can find in their sound, but it goes much further than simply downtempo and other dubstep influences. There also is a pretty jazzy touch running through the songs that have been reinforced by Erika Bach’s deeply, sensual timbre of voice. The electronics sounds experimental, sometimes like a fusion of sounds and noises while the deep, resonating bass lines are one of the album’s main characteristics.
Among the tracklist you’ll recognize both previously released singles “The Far Side” and “eBomb”.
+ + + : This album sounds like a challenge, but it’s a damned good- and original one. The mix of jazzy influences together with pure experimental sound treatments and the heavy, vibrating bass lines has something magic. I also enjoyed the somewhat psychedelic guitar playing. Any good album needs the right vocalist and here again M1nk took me by surprise. The sensual and somewhat mysterious vocals feel like the cherry on the pie.
– – – : M1nk doesn’t feel like a band that might conquer an electronic- and/or gothic underground scene –which has been often the target from Seja Records. So it will be hard challenge, but it will maybe enlarge the label’s horizon. I was less convinced by both last cuts, which are somewhat different.
Conclusion: Challenges are always somewhat tricky, but I really hope this album will get a deserved recognition.
Best songs: “Devil under”, “Some Elusive”, “Love Sign”, Psycho Erotic”, “eBomb”.
Rate: (8).
Artist: www.m1nk.com / www.facebook.com/m1nk.official
Label: www.seja.nl / www.facebook.com/sejarecords
Since you’re here …
… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can - and we refuse to add annoying advertising. So you can see why we need to ask for your help.
Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive.
If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
The donations are safely powered by Paypal.
