Applescal – A Mishmash Of Changing Moods

The frosty breaks of "The Curle In Me" will almost blind you at the start of what turns out to be a startlingly strong album. Applescal's A MISHMASH OF CHANGING MOODS does just that, switching from the shiny ambience of "Dialeague" to the dark 4/4 stomp of "MC Iron." "The Key of Genes" starts off with a beat which gets smothered until bright layers of synths, drowning in a pool of glitter. Applescal excels at having his bright tones float atop a deeper bass, opening up space and giving the sound dimensionality. Listen to how the heaviness of "The Flop" gives way to crisp cymbals and suspended tones, while "The Storm is Yours" takes a lighter approach from the get-go, even as it explodes into cascades of flash. The final, long track "Door Weer En Wind" seems to be made up of several parts, from its beatless start to the culminating thumping. I suppose if you're going to be a mishmash, it might as well be a good one.