Happy Friday! Here’s a bit of bonus coverage for you, as the vocalist of Anatomy of Habit (whose newly-released album was discussed right here earlier today) happened to put out his own solo record over the summer, which I’ll share with you now.
Mark Solotroff – Not Everybody Makes It (self-released, 30 July 2021)
Eschewing his primary role in Anatomy — there are no vocals anywhere to be found here, nor to be honest, any melodic or rhythmic songs in the traditional sense — this outing instead finds Mr. Solotroff emphasizing his side gig that he’s handled alongside Indian and Wrekmeister Harmonies and quite literally countless others: that of ambiance, electronics, and general noise.
Not Everybody Makes It is full hour of atmospheric soundscapes, consisting of six tracks at exactly 10:00 apiece. Some of these are assembled primarily from sustained droning synth notes and chords, frequently throwing in inharmonic tones to add to the general sense of tension; elsewhere sounds are employed like static, humming, and other not-quite-tonal but clearly deliberately chosen to evoke a particular mood — that of serene longing, anxious anticipation, begrudging acceptance. Overall, a peaceful calmness but with undertones or overtones of dread or that feeling that something’s not exactly right, which never does quite end up being released or resolved.
Valley of Steel 