We’re really going all out on the last part of this year’s Missed Connections. Shout out to all of y’all that have read all of these, read our content in general, and share it around. We live to share great music of all kinds. If you missed them, fret not – Part One and Two are linked right there for you.
This final part, we take a trip to Korea for some dreamy shoegaze, then to Belgium for some doomy, Assyrian-flavored post-metal/drone music, and finally I catapult y’all to Spain for a thrasher of an ending. Thanks so much for reading, y’all. See you next year 🙂
Carlos
It seems like I’m being subjected to a yearly tradition where Spotify recommends me one band or artist that relentlessly beats the shit out of me from how fantastic they sound. Last year, I stumbled upon the enigmatic Tennessean alt rock collective Adjy and their ambitious debut offering The Idyll Opus (I – VI). This time, the surprise came in the form of 비타민과 우려 Vitamins and Apprehension, the equally-impressive debut full-length from Korean dream pop project Della Zyr, and my pick for this edition of Missed Connections.
Like others have expressed on this feature, it’s panic-inducing to discover a record months after its release date, and this is certainly no exception. 비타민과 우려 Vitamins and Apprehension is, quite frankly, a complete package – right from the album artwork and the poignant lyrical display of vulnerability to the dynamic pacing and overall expansive nature of the songs themselves. This is coupled with hues of lo-fi, shoegaze, midwest emo, post rock, and math rock coalescing with a riveting dream pop shimmer emitting soundscapes that are able to transfix even the toughest of stoics. All in all, a picturesque piece of record that everyone should give a try.
“기다려준 새벽 (Following Her to No Particular Sunrise)” introduces the album with levitative instrumentation that feels unexpectedly urgent. Airy vocals smoothly zigzag through playful synths and syncopated drumming, anchored by pulsating guitar strumming that provides a feeling akin to fervently chasing what awaits in the horizon. There’s also this sense of both nostalgia and liminality to their choices of melody that permeates throughout the album, and which I find particularly striking. Whether coming from the euphoric second track “Pale Blue Dot (지구 혹은 천국)” or from the celebratory midwest emo rager “살고 싶어!”, Della Zyr somehow finds a way for you to really tap into uncovered internal territories, with the result being resoundingly fulfilling.
This is especially true for the album’s two longest tracks. “Dream II: 저울” (along with its accompanying prelude, “Dream I: 호박씨, 고마움, 아쉬움”) is an opus with an emotional heft that has stuck with me to this day, additionally showcasing a kaleidoscopic approach to songwriting that ranges from palpable droning and tasteful math rock passages to gorgeous respites in the vein of later Anathema. It’s an all-around sonic catharsis that’s simply a pleasure to venture in.
Meanwhile, “나의 미래 (So Please Don’t Leave Me) / 한숨 / To Go Forward Despite the Terror of Living in This World, Clinging to a Tiny Speck of Hope” is bliss, through and through. The song’s ruminating wall of sounds is comforting as it is ethereal – a commanding presence that’ll guarantee to leave you in awe by the end of it, ultimately serving as a fitting closer to a journey of a record such as this one.
비타민과 우려 Vitamins and Apprehension is one of those albums that’ll instantly resonate with you, regardless if you’re into the genre or not: kind of like a sunrise bringing forth new opportunities after a bout of challenging nights. Bask in its light and you’ll feel whole once more. It also serves a testament to the thriving Korean underground and nugaze-adjacent scene along with the likes of Parannoul and Asian Glow (seriously, pretty awesome stuff going on over there!). Suffice to say, this is a gem you shouldn’t miss out on.
(At the time of me writing this review, Della Zyr released a brand-new EP on their Bandcamp page. Spoilers: It’s fucking great.)
Robert
What do you think of when I say ‘Babylon’? Is it the sprawling Babylonian Empire from the millennia before the common era? A myth filled land of greatness – the apex of the civilizations of that age perchance? The Ishtar Gate and The Hanging Gardens (albeit the latter may have been built in Nineveh in the Assyrian Empire)? What perplexing visions of this ancient past does the paradigm of Babylon spring to mind when mentioned?
I can’t really answer this, as it really relies on your unique preceptive mechanisms to sort out. What I can tell you for sure though, is that Wyatt E.’s latest record, āl bēlūti dārû, brings back to life ages which have long since seen their last sunset. āl bēlūti dārû, translating as ‘The Eternal City’ from Akkadian, in reference to Jerusalem, takes its subject matter as the infamous sacking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar II (The Great), as well as the realms under his dominion and whatever else may be related to this whole area in time.
The Belgian trio take drone music to new heights across āl bēlūti dārû, creating one of the most compelling aural experiences I’ve ever witnessed. It’s so compelling that it’s unbelievably easy to get lost in the mirage of sceneries evoked. While a visual support would fully flesh out this experience, it’s not really entirely necessary given the artistic acuity of all that is unfurling.
Across the two lengthy tracks which comprise the record, Wyatt E. demonstrate that toying with layers can be an integral part in the process of creating a holistic endeavor, which manifests itself at such levels of authenticity. As instruments and tones come and go, there is only one constant, the arcane emotion which embodies the woeful, decadent, glorious, and mighty ethos of this tragic past.
As we dive into “Mušḫuššu”, taking its namesake from a mythological hybrid beast represented on The Ishtar Gate, we can easily see the semblance of this chimeric fabrication to the events that the record alludes to – the sacking of The Eternal City and taking its residents as prisoners. Then we can only try to imagine said captives’ journey across the shifting sands and their shock as they meet firsthand, for the first time the Babylonian culture in all its grandeur, this calamitous bewilderment vis-à-vis their present condition and what novelty they are experiencing.
It’s a breathtaking deep dive into sonic textures which represent the above with a poignancy that’s second to none. I wouldn’t have it any other way and as much as I’d like to nitpick and find any potential flaws, I am unable to. The second half of the record follows neatly in the footsteps of the opener so to speak. “Šarru Rabu”, translated as ‘king of kings/the great king/king of the universe’ from Akkadian, comes across as much darker and ghastlier in contrast to its predecessor, fully leaning into the nefarious side of things in terms of mood and portrayed images. Although, it obviously retains all the character which you’d expect in such an aural display and given the context.
I would be remiss if I wouldn’t point it out, but the incredibly lush instrumentation voicing this experience does perfect justice to the ideas which are being presented and the way everything is contoured and polished is flawless. Tune in to āl bēlūti dārû for an unforgettable time about a long-forgotten time.
David (that's me!)
It had to be this. It was the only option. Just kidding, I actually had a few albums I really wanted to do for Missed Connections, but among them all was the one that had the most impact, staying power, and raw impressive qualities to make it stand out among a pretty strong year for metal and heavy music in general.
From Spain comes one of the coolest metal albums I’ve heard in quite a while, RetadoR by RetadoR. It’s a ripping good time at the thrash house with this one, with almost comically good riffs (like, so good you kind of laugh to yourself), near unlimited vigor, and a strong sense that this is exactly the album that these dudes were made to release. Oh, and this is their first release ever.
Sure, members were and are part of other bands (Abxenta and Nydvind to name a couple – don’t worry, I hadn’t heard of them either), but for them all to meet up and drop this fucker with no warmup is absolutely wild to me. In fact, if this is the warmup to future stuff, thrash is about to get a ton more interesting. It’s true that a lot of bands get lucky and have the skill to carry amazing debuts that sweep year-end lists, rake in purchases from adoring fans, and get enough eyes on them to hopefully sustain a future for themselves if they so choose to continue on. I’m writing this because I hope to show them off to even more people, just as Jake showed them to me back in September.
Spanish for ‘challenger’, RetadoR really did come to challenge literally fucking everyone for the thrash crown, from established old guard greats to promising new faces making a name for themselves like they are. There’s songs on here that make for the most dick-kickingly, ass-blastingly hard thrash I’ve heard in years. Take “Títeres” for example which is Spanish for ‘puppets’; it has one of the most wily intros of the year using a somewhat simple sounding riff, but the execution is so confident and strong that it got stuck in my head for weeks. “Furia” (‘fury’) is another favorite with its gang vocals on the chorus (a lot of the album has these, but they’re especially great here), hyper mode bass intro, and descending, galloping guitar work. Goddamn, it’s so good.
This is just straightforward-ass thrash too. No blackened elements, no progressive stuff to really speak of, it doesn’t veer into death metal territory. This is as pure as can be, which actually makes for a refreshing endeavor even though I love when genres bang and make babies. You can tell these dudes grew up with this stuff in their veins, likely getting imports from local record stores or friends that had connections, bringing the hesher lifestyle to Spain’s beauteous region. It’s sweet to think about, as speculative as it is. It just has the feeling of being homegrown, organic music with a lot of passion and history behind it. At only 36 minutes, it won’t even waste your time either. It’s effectively a perfect album if you’re into this type of stuff.
I’ll keep this short for once in my life because for every word you read of mine about RetadoR is a second you could be listening to this fire pisser of an album. Thrash fans: this is a must-listen, zero exaggeration, especially if you’re into how bands like Havok ride the thrash wave. If you have a love of the genre’s history and attitude, you really can’t do better than this – if you can, it hasn’t been presented to me yet. Something tells me RetadoR would be up to the challenge anyway.
