Superpunk Review

SUPERPUNK
Landscapers
2012
Mindtech Recordings

Electronica, trance, techno, drum and bass, dubstep, brostep, WHAT EVER, man. The people who categorize dubstep have almost become as over-technical as the people who categorize metal and punk, and I will not be a part of it. Basically, if the music is mostly produced with synthesized instruments, I will be calling it "electronica." Also, "trance" will mean a style of song, not a type of music.

With that out of the way, Landscapers' recent EP, Superpunk, is easily some of the most aggressive, bass-heavy electronica I've heard in some time. Each song finds itself winding deeply into completely madcap wobble-bass and non-dance rhythms, with pounding beats that'll make your subwoofer sob. If nothing else, Superpunk will find its way into my "bass-testing" playlist, reserved for trying out new speaker systems and headphones.

Of course, if Superpunk were just fat bass and nothing more, I wouldn't be writing about it. The EP manages to stuff rather distinct styles into its four tracks. "Arachnoise", the opening track (and the one that led me to investigate Landscapers in the first place) works off of an epic-scale orchestra, the sort you might hear in a goofy fantasy movie or a church in a Castlevania game, as well as a synth-line reminiscent of the early chiptunes. "Arachnoise" is not to be missed, even if it does not sell you on the rest of the album.

The other three songs are also pretty awesome, though. "So Magical" combines Landscapers' aggression with synthesized Vocaloid voice clips and a more traditional Euro-pop lead vocal hook, and attains a rather different tone from "Arachnoise." Your mileage may vary on the style it's playing with, but I have a lot of fun with the track. The eponymous "Superpunk" is perhaps the least exciting track on the album, as it combines hip-hop sensibilities with pretty traditional bass-heavy electronica sensibilities. It's less energetic than all the other songs, and while it's fine, it's also the least energetic track of the bunch. "Superpunk" also feels safer and less experimental than the rest. "Battle Axe" returns to the EP's video-game roots, but the focus here is more on the kind of power metal that Castlevania is more infamous for, and it's a return to the super-fun energy the rest of the EP carries.

It's hard to knock an EP with three good songs (especially when two of those are great), especially when "Superpunk" is not bad at all. I doubt the Superpunk EP will remain Landscapers' most interesting work, but for now, it serves as an exciting introduction to a group that only have a few EPs out. Give it a shot.

4/5

HIGHLIGHTS: "Arachnoise", "Battle Axe"

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES: "Superpunk"

NEXT STOP: "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites", Skrillex

AFTER THAT: "Castlevania: Symphony of the Night", Michiru Yamane