Review: Various Artists – 'The Other Side'

VARIOUS ARTISTS

'The Other Side'

WITCH-HOUSE

Witch-house.com, the de-facto home of the witch-house movement online haven't released a compilation in five years. This big gap was a downright shame as their previous four themed compilation releases were really excellent and showed of a range of new talents. Thankfully though a new one has seen the light of day, this time taking its inspiration from the seminal Stranger Things TV series.

Once again the album features a range of artists, some new and some more established. The styles, as on most witch-house themed compilations, show great variation between the bands with some overtly traditional witch-house tracks, noise and drone influenced tracks, as well as some more progressive ones. It's a good mix though with acts such as D4rk3r Side, Hooded Leaders, PEAKi, Dazed Marrow, Undesired, Cutworm, and Sidewalks And Skeletons providing particular highlights.

The compilation is not the longest one in the series. But at twelve tracks and 51 minutes in length it's by no means the shortest and definitely has enough for the casual listener to get their teeth into. As with all compilations recording quality does vary between the tracks and the noisier / more abrasive tracks. But the album has been mastered will and the track list flows very organically.

This is a strong compilation, with a range of bands producing solid music. You can get bogged-down in genre politics, but at the end of the day there is some really interesting and exciting underground electronic music being made under the witch-house denomination and it doesn't look to be going away anytime soon. Fans of the more esoteric end of the electronic/industrial spectrum will easily find something on this.  

Posted in: music,the other side,Various Artists