Somebody will need to come up with a genre name for Underhill’s “Silent Siren”. With music written by Dean Rodell, Balkansky / Cooh and Current Value and vocals by Martina Astner and MC Coppa, this album is as coherent as its line-up is improbable. Trip-hop, drum’n’bass, gothic atmospheres and hip hop: all these elements are molten into each other with great care, creating an impressive work which is far more than the sum of its parts. Try it at home, then try it on a huge PA: Underhill’s “Silent Siren” is a multi-faceted creation which just invites its listener to dive deeper.
“Silent Siren” is not an easy album to describe in a few words, probably because it is the collaborative work of musicians coming from extremely diverse horizons.
On the one side, two vocalists: Martina Astner, known for being the female voice of the famous goth-metal outfit Therion and MC Coppa, whose voice has been lent to many a drum’n’bass, dubstep and hip hop single. On the other side, Tim Elliot, whose Current Value project is by far one of the most acclaimed act of the genre (and who was recently invited by Bjork to write music for her new album), Ivan Shopov who with Cooh and Balkansky is one of Europe’s hardest working producers of all things dark and electronic, and finally Dean Rodell, a veteran producer with his hands in techno, drum’n’bass and Elliot’s partner in crime in the Machine Code outfit.
If Underhill’s line-up requires a long breath and jump through genres, their “Silent Siren” début album is something which seduces from the first listening. A rich and warm ensemble, it impresses by the coherence of its tracks and its flow. May it be its down-tempo instrumental beginning or the ambitious mixture of vocals, guitars and d’n’b beats of the closing “Rivers Of Hades” and “Solace”, “Silent Siren” is a work which somewhat takes the listener by the hand and guides him through original, fresh soundscapes. The trip is full of surprise but gentle, introducing Underhill’s sound with the grand “Blind” single and introducing sounds, instruments and voices little by little.
It is not only interesting, but also highly satisfying to hear these five confirmed musician demonstrate how they can create material which is so different from their regular output and come up with such a tour de force. “Silent Siren” sounds from starts to finish like the product of their proved experience, molten into a cohesive, charming whole. Somebody will soon have to find a name for this new genre. Goth-step, witch-bass? Or just seducive, inventive downtempo songs with a heavy and crisp edge. Try it at home, then try it on a huge PA: Underhill’s “Silent Siren” is a multi-faceted creation which just invites its listener to dive deeper.
Presentation mix prepared by Ivan Shopov to present the freshly released album “Silent Siren” by Underhill, his project with Martina Astner, MC Coppa, Dean Roddell and Tim Elliot.