"Wermonster - Solar Tales EP" review by Apocolypse

Ok, so check it out. This time I’ve had the privilege of reviewing “Wermonster – Solar Tales EP” ahead of its 19^th May 2015 release. I reiterate, I love what I do.

This is my first “taste” of Wermonster (that I know of), and when the peeps from DoHipHop.com asked me if I’d like to review it, I was like, “Hells Yeah!”. This EP, & Wermonster by extension, is all about the beats, aka he is a producer and not a vocal artist. Wermonster was born in France but has dwelled in the German streets of Berlin since 2008.

This is Wermonster’s second release with the Australian based label – Uncomfortable Beats. This EP features four tracks, 1. Discovery, 2. Future – feat. Melody Myia, 3. She Speaks Backwards and last but not least 4. Elephants. The EP’s duration is just less than 17 min, and as an avid Hip Hop listener, I’m discouraged by the short time span because this is definitely one of those EP’s you wished had more! (In a good sense nah mean)

In my opinion, the first track is titled perfectly, the amalgamation of sounds he (Wermonster) brings through, leaves the listener frantically grasping to categorize the direction he is headed, as the beat progresses, you find yourself forgetting whatever preconceived notion you where searching for and just letting the beat carry you away on your own personal “Discovery”. Wermonster uses sounds that could naturally be seen as dissonant or musical chaos, but brings it together in a well-orchestrated harmony, which in turn lets it relate to whatever situations are pertinent in your mind at the moment, musically or life related respectively. So I mentioned I was interested before but now I’m intrigued.

The second track – “Future” which features Melody Mia has a more direct and simple sound, which creates a thought provoking intention for the listeners to question their own future. Melody Mia’s vocals create a hypnotizing element that just draws you deeper into the song, to try to elaborate on what I mean, I feel as if she’s Alice and I just joined her and the Mad Hatter (Wermonster) down the rabbit hole into Wonderland.

“She Speaks Backwards” is one of those awkward tracks that I’m not sure if it’s too forced or harmonically conflicted, or if it’s stretching the boundaries of conventional music and how the majority understands it. It could be complete insanity, or pure genius. At first I felt like he missed the mark on this one but the more I listen to it, the more I appreciate it. Either way, you would have to decide if it fits in your realm of what you consider musically acceptable.

Damn…. I’m on the final track already, “Elephant”. As I mentioned earlier, this is definitely one of those instances where I’m expecting more because I feel like I just entered the alternate universe known as Wermonster, and all of a sudden I’m being pulled from my astral projection and brought back to reality. As the beat commences, you feel the African rhythm he introduces which is accompanied by spacey choir vocals, then he drops the electronic melody that’s drives the track into a powerful space, compelling me to bop along with intent. The soft piano key outro of the track, softly brings you back to the world with a sense of appreciation and contentment, like waking up on a Saturday morning with a smile after an awesome dream and knowing you don’t have to go to work .

Wermonster could be classed across multiple genres in a single track, let alone multiple tracks on the EP. I give “Solar Tales” 2.5/5 punchlines. He’s not trying to conform, he’s not trying to appeal to the masses, he’s merely expressing his world and thoughts through his art… Music!

Get your copy here:

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Solar Tales EP teaser video:

Mr. A