Bunker Rock Reviews: Anomalous Materials

Release Date: January 28, 2022

Last time on BRR, Yours Truly had the pleasure of reviewing an indie EP released by one Drew Haze. Today, Obsidian Eagle is pleased to appraise a full length LP produced by longtime songsmith Liam King. As always OE's intention is to tip off readers regarding nouveau soundscapes that make for good listening when you're hunkering down in the bunker during the post-apocalypse era, or really, whenever!

Anomaly Perfected

Anomalous Materials constitute Liam King's fourth long play studio album. This reviewer has heretofore been acquainted with LK's acoustic 'guitar-artistry'. However, true to form (or formlessness), these are birds of a different feather. Listen along via the embedded bandcamp widget above, and you might find as OE has, that they do possess several captivating sonic qualities. Now without further hassle, let's get down to the hustle:

1. Whip-poor-will (Home Is Where The Art Is) is a strong start that's both sonorously complex and lyrically rich. One line in particular stands out to me: "I tried to write some new songs, but they all sounded out of key. So I threw them all in a blender, closed my eyes and pressed purée." Clocking in at nearly nine minutes, this is actually the longest track. Yet there's so much to analyze here that it seems to fly by rather quick. Among various bells and chimes, the eponymous whippoorwill's whistle is a subtle but beautiful touch.
2. Fraying String runs for a couple of minutes, which comprise an understated piece of Hauntology. It definitely leaves one with a sense of viewing an old 1960's science fiction film.
3. Resurrection Spells make for a sort of sinister synth-wave number; ostensibly on the subject of vampires. The words are enchantingly poetic. Clearly mastered drum and bass maintain an urgent rhythm, while the atmosphere is filled with resonant frequencies as well as Liam's melancholic and melodic voice. Personally, I can't stop bopping my head to these Goth-tronic incantations!
4. Snow Removal (Waves Crashing On The Beach) as the titles imply this is a relaxing segue into a short series of similarly cerebral tunes. Until listening to it, I'd never thought about how the sound of a snowplow clearing the street resembles an incoming ocean tide, though indeed it does after hearing Liam King's meditative take.
5. Old Concrete drums up the tempo anew. It's decidedly industrial, albeit with fresh refinements. Soundbites sampled from Boondock Saints and Johnny Mnemonic lend it the lilt of a cinematic soundtrack. Some might find it bit abrasive, but it remains mercifully brief.
6. Broken blends in almost undetected. Nonetheless, its tones and textures hint at a deeper meaning hidden within.
7. We Will Rise Again may just be this reviewer's favorite of the anomalies. From the elegiac singing to its guttural lows, and then back above onto mesmerizing heights. There's an artful interplay between chunking acoustic chords and electronic effects that reminds OE of his own dabblings. Although of course LK goes leagues beyond those. Especially enjoyed the guitar's gradual outro.
8. Barbeau is another interlude that forces listeners to think. I'm told the title is a reference to actress Adrienne Barbeau and her connection to director John Carpenter. Samples from Carpenter's Prince of Darkness are rearranged to deliver eerie messages to one's subconscious.
9. Afraid of Monsters gives us a hypnotic and sublime binaural beat— reminiscent to Boards of Canada's dark ambiance. A fitting follow-up to the previous track.
10. Wanna Play? A full-bodied banger that could conceivably power an entire e-sports amphitheater. Unrelenting; its hits keep on coming fast and furious. Syncopated variations on a theme carry on during an extended session. It ends with a groovy growl followed by "Ninja, vanish!" As a fellow TMNT fan, I quite dig its vicious vibe.
11. Grey Rain sounds a little like a latter day Radiohead instrumental. I'm unsure of which keyboards are being played but they have a fairly 'moogy' energy to them. This symphonic experiment takes its time covering the stereophonic ground, and drenching our auditory sense with a dazzling degree of greyish radiance.
12. Hope continues in an anomalous vein. It's deceptively simple in its sophistication. Soothing, yet jarring. Airy, but with percussive accents.
13. The State of The Art in many ways represents the apex of Liam King's audio engineering skills. It plays equally well as a rambling radio ad, or an action movie montage. If funky 80's electro made a baby with 90's hardcore techno, this would probably be their resultant progeny.
14. Sailing On... A trippy presage that ushers in the last leg of our journey. No less deft than anything which came before it. It's almost surprising the amount of stuff happening that can be crammed into a mere two minutes.
15. Flow (Resonance Cascade) brings together a lot of the same auricular ingredients that should be familiar for those following along. It has the cadence of a nuclear meltdown and builds upon such suspense. Nevertheless, the concept stems from the video game Half-Life and alludes to a tear in reality. This leads me to believe that Flow may be a setup for the subsequent song...
16. Life In Flux (The Kitchen Sink Mix) crowns the Anomalous Materials with a Killing Moon style EDM ditty. The vocalist doesn't take himself too seriously, making the track simultaneously playful and paradoxically polished. Partially at least, the lyrics are a wink to the artists' personal record label. We couldn't have asked for a better blowout to finish on!
17. Quit My Job Yesterday feels more an afterthought than a song. Still, it strums away triumphant—unto sweet oblivion.

Takeaway

Liam King has certainly outdone himself during this hi-fi foray. If you're somebody who enjoys musical offerings from the likes of Brian Eno or David Byrne, then trust me, this here's your jam. The album lays forth a delectable spread of tasty tidbits as well as heartier fare. Everything on it warrants repeat servings. I wholeheartedly encourage you to support this wonder worker by purchasing his music ONLINE.

Previously: