Ashnymph’s Childhood EP is exhilarating dance goth rock
Ashnymph’s Childhood EP is exhilarating dance goth rock
Ashnymph 的 EP《Childhood》是令人振奋的舞曲哥特摇滚
I’ve got to thank my oldest friend and concert buddy, Tim, for turning me on to this one. Ashnymph is a London band that blends post-punk melodies with Krautrock rhythms and industrial grime. Their debut EP, Childhood, drifts between dreamy vocals buried in layers of reverb and four-on-the-floor dancefloor pounding. It’s a thrilling opening salvo from a band that feels on the cusp of a major breakthrough.
我得感谢我多年的老友兼演唱会搭档 Tim，是他向我推荐了这张专辑。Ashnymph 是一支伦敦乐队，他们将后朋克的旋律与德国泡菜摇滚（Krautrock）的节奏以及工业音乐的粗粝感融合在一起。他们的首张 EP《Childhood》在沉浸于混响层中的梦幻人声与强劲的四拍舞曲节奏之间游走。对于一支正处于重大突破边缘的乐队来说，这是一次令人兴奋的开场。
Childhood opens with an ambient recording of someone walking down a hall (I think), and some swirling synth noise before the first song, “Island in the Sky” kicks off properly with a motorik beat and bass throb. The thin, digitally manipulated vocals and robotic groove punctuated with bursts of noise, but the big chords of the chorus bring to mind Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s “Whatever Happened to My Rock and Roll.”
《Childhood》以一段走廊里的环境录音（我想是这样）和一些盘旋的合成器噪音开场，随后第一首歌《Island in the Sky》以 Motorik 节奏和低沉的贝斯声正式拉开序幕。纤细且经过数字处理的人声与机械感的律动中穿插着阵阵噪音，而副歌中宏大的和弦让人联想到 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 的《Whatever Happened to My Rock and Roll》。
“Saltspreader,” the band’s first single, is next. It launches with a deep metallic grind splattered by clanking percussion and drum hits, before a soft synth arpeggio brings some melody to the party. In the back half, there are deeply chorused vocals that ooze ‘80s goth, driving guitar, and a disco stomp. Despite its slow build, it’s clear why the band chose this as their first single. It’s dark, dancey, and an absolute earworm.
紧随其后的是乐队的首支单曲《Saltspreader》。它以深沉的金属研磨声开场，伴随着叮当响的打击乐和鼓点，随后柔和的合成器琶音为乐曲注入了旋律。在后半部分，深沉的合唱人声散发出 80 年代哥特风，配合着强劲的吉他和迪斯科舞步。尽管节奏推进缓慢，但很明显乐队为何选择它作为首支单曲——它黑暗、动感，且极其洗脑。
“After Glow” leans even further into ‘80s fetishism, recalling Depeche Mode and early Ministry, before Al Jourgensen discovered guitars. “47” marries industrial beats with chipmunk vocals and off-kilter guitars in the vein of No Wave acts like Swans. But the last-minute switch to a half-time groove removes the more abrasive layers, letting the beauty of the guitar melody shine through while ethereal vocals float over the top.
《After Glow》进一步沉浸在对 80 年代的迷恋中，让人想起 Depeche Mode 和早期的 Ministry（在 Al Jourgensen 发现吉他之前）。《47》将工业节拍与类似花栗鼠般的人声以及怪异的吉他结合在一起，颇有像 Swans 这样的“无浪潮”（No Wave）乐队的风范。但在最后一刻切换到半速律动时，去掉了那些刺耳的音层，让吉他旋律的美感得以显现，同时空灵的人声在上方飘荡。
The last track, “Mr. Invisible,” is possibly the most experimental of the bunch. It’s more explicitly electronic than the rest, relying on heavily manipulated samples, indecipherable vocals, and a relentless bass thump for the first chunk. Eventually, clearer vocal melodies and circular guitar lines play off the polyrhythmic synths. The whole thing is disorienting, dizzying, and exhilarating. It ends somewhat abruptly on a lopsided guitar groove and an echoed vocal, leaving me wanting more. So much more.
最后一首曲目《Mr. Invisible》可能是整张 EP 中最具实验性的一首。它比其他曲目更具电子感，前半部分依赖于经过深度处理的采样、难以辨认的人声和持续不断的贝斯重击。最终，清晰的人声旋律和循环的吉他线条与多节奏的合成器相互呼应。整首歌让人感到迷失、眩晕且兴奋。它在一段倾斜的吉他律动和回声人声中戛然而止，让我意犹未尽，渴望更多。
Ashnymph’s Childhood EP is available now on Bandcamp and most major streaming platforms, including Deezer, Apple Music, Qobuz, YouTube Music, and Spotify.
Ashnymph 的 EP《Childhood》现已在 Bandcamp 及大多数主流流媒体平台上线，包括 Deezer、Apple Music、Qobuz、YouTube Music 和 Spotify。