Iglooghost - Neō Wax Bloom Album Review
Seamus Malliagh, otherwise known as Iglooghost, is an electronic music artist who began to produce his content all the way back in 2014. He has since made several projects, but this album, Neō Wax Bloom, is his first of the sort. It follows the story and concepts established in his second EP, Chinese Nü Yr, and brings it to the album format. This 11-track tale of the quest of a worm named Xiāngjiāo is a refreshing taste of the world of electronic music that caters to both people who have short attention spans and those who are into fast-paced electronic music.
Neō Wax Bloom banks on the tropes and ideas set up by other electronic music artists before it. Using mostly his library of tools in computer software, Iglooghost has crafted an album that both pushes on what has been established and takes it in a new direction. As mentioned, this EDM album isn’t really EDM at all — it is more electronic than it is based on movement. This choice to avoid a club setting plays in the album’s favor, giving the listener an enjoying experience within this world set up by the artist that isn’t too in your face or overwhelming. It provides a balance of technological sounds with synthetic instruments, combining the two styles of both electronic and classic instrumentation to deliver a new and interesting take on the technological music scene. “Super Ink Burst” is a great example of this, using numerous saxophone samples to bridge the gap between it and the technological sound surrounding it.
Unfortunately, this album does require a bit of context. The conceptual aspect is lost completely if the listener has not heard his previous EP. If there are any newcomers to Iglooghost, it is recommended to listen to Chinese Nü Yr to understand the full concept that he is creating and that can be off putting to some listeners. In addition, if the listener isn’t focused on the music, it can move past them very quickly and will require more listens to fully comprehend. While not overbearing, an average listener can still find themselves confused on the sound differences and pacing of the music.
Neō Wax Bloom is an album that can be forgiving to listeners in some aspects, but punishing in others. It is an interesting piece to start with if one is looking to head into the electronic genre, but it is not a poor one. The music is carefully crafted to ensure a euphoric listening experience, but thematically requires exploration of the artist’s previous work. Iglooghost presents the listener with an album that is a blend of everything electronic, while simultaneously playing with the rules to make something unique and enjoyable. It is refreshing and original at the same time. Drawing in both dedicated electronic listeners and casual listeners alike, Neō Wax Bloom is an album that is one of the more impressive pieces of 2017 and stands its own merit against other electronic artists and albums of the year.
Rating: 6/10
Jack Grossman is a sophomore majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email jackdgrossman@gmail.com.
