1. s̴͐͜vn̵̢͗s̸̮̍
2. G L Λ S S
3. H 1 D D 3 N
4. ghΩst
5. հҍՀ=ѵì
6. XIII
7. Shinju
8. ACID ICE
9. S̵̱͋ Î̷̞ N̴͉͝ I̶͓͋ Ŝ̵͕ T E̵͚̅ R̷̓
10. r e p † i l e༜
11. ☳
12. ψ₪ζ₪ψ
13. †
14. Rural Science
Download:
https://ek4t3.bandcamp.com/album/bl-k-p ... r-p-shinju
BL▲K.:P▲N3L:.SKR↑P† has to be one of the most prolific producers out there, after dropping 2 albums in 2019, "Shinju" is his new longplay for 2020. The album is sort of like one of the early X-Files seasons: plenty of gems with a couple of weaker spots here and there. And like a true season of X-Files, it also feels like we're getting one main story with a handful of side-plots that don't really fit to the main theme. This is probably a topic for a separate essay but the art of curating and building an album is an art indeed, and that skill may not be fully developed here. I think another minor issue with BPS productions is their length in relation to their "adventurousness" - most tracks are 3+ minutes long, but they sometimes feel quite repetitive, they build up to a certain point, and once in that comfortable spot, they sort of float there for the remainder of their total time. Sometimes it works great, like in the opening "s̴͐͜vn̵̢͗s̸̮̍", which gives me some great old BATHAUS vibes, thanks to its use of misty vocals and entrancing melody led by distorted pulsating drums. Sometimes it feels a bit stretched (i.e. "G L Λ S S" and "S̵̱͋ Î̷̞ N̴͉͝ I̶͓͋ Ŝ̵͕ T E̵͚̅ R̷̓"). Some personal favs from the album include "հҍՀ=ѵì", which rides a dark electro wave through the night, bass juggernaut "Shinju" which sounds like something lifted from Mary-Anne Hobb's "Evangeline" compilation, post-apocalyptic "☳" with brain-drilling synth line, and brutally addictive "ψ₪ζ₪ψ". Despite all the issues I've listed before, I still think the album is worth checking out.