1. Tiny Moving Parts / Old Gray
Tiny Moving Parts open up this split with ‘Swimming Lessons’ a track that is filled with mixed emotions of pain and relief. Vocally this song is strong in its tiny detail applied to pitches from screaming to spoken work to slightly singing happily. Lyrically the upbeat track follows on with Old Gray’s ‘Fair Trade’, adding to the pleasant split.
Twined with a beautifully composed melody, the track is even balanced with firm vocals and a haunting tune that gives more than enough rage to listen to. Working together the two songs deliver a flawless split, marking it to be the best of 2014.
2. Atlas / In Arms
Taking a hold of all senses, Atlas pop out ‘Know Hope’ as the first track on the split with high hopes. A short intro carries to tightly packed vocals that explode with every lyric sung, this track builds up tension for follow up songs yet to come.
Two of the finest northern bands have come together to produce a mesmerising split that explores astonishing talent. In Arms follow, wrapping up the latter end with two jaw snapping tracks. Exiting with ‘Asphyxia’ a heavily melodic piece, In Arms leave the split with a highly valued rank.
3. Bloody Knees / Birdskulls
A perfectly collaborative piece by two bands producing cutting edge bassed riffs.
Bloody Knees take to the stand with ‘Bones’ that lets out a rage of passionate clatters of drum snares and bashful movement, pumping all remaining adrenaline around your body to bounce around to. ‘Bed Tomb’ has a similar effect however with it’s memorable lyrics that are somehow relatable “I FEEL DEAD, JUST WANNA GET BACK IN BED” seem to relate to me most days.
Birdskulls are the joined band, involved within this split who send off a dated noise, that is easily enjoyed in a calming atmosphere.
4. Whirr / Nothing 12”
Evenly balanced with affectional gradients, Whirr introduce the split with two prime tracks, ‘Ease’ proving to be my favourite regardless. A bold instrumental sound is dominated within the trop starter tracks as light vocals touch on at each point just to add texture as the track develops into a tranquil aura.
Nothing then chin in ‘Chloroform’ that takes a step up in sound, almost blasting their sound into your ears, for you to absorb fully. Ending the split with a barbed grungy feel, that you can just lay back to and enjoy.
5. Xibalba / Suburban Scum
Delving into a deeper route, two solid bands in hardcore team up to release a split compacted with some of the nastiest of chills. Xibalba take off with ‘Death Threat’ that certainly does give you it’s titled vibes as the intro kicks into a gnarly twist. Plunging first first with punches of attacking stabbings, the track paces its self at top speed with its thrashing metal aura.
Suburban Scum follow through with a whole track dedicated to it’s into, it sets the scene for the next two followups. ‘Refuse To Suffer’ climates the tension raised, till reaching boiling point, before unleashing it’s guts everywhere.
6. Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) / Joie De Vivre 7”
Empire! Empire! start off this split with their bluesy whispers, enveloped by texturing swirls of sounds. Such a soothing and eased piece of music to listen to, this split explores chilled and laid out vibes that carry you on a tranquil journey. Joie De Vivre, carry on this theme with two more tracks that compliment the last. A very close match of brass instruments,matched by doubled vocals end ‘April, 2009’.
7. Adventures/ Pity Sex 7”
Adventures juxtapose their sounds within this split, with their first track sinking us in, matched by their heavier toned drop in ‘Behind This Wall’ cover, exploding in sounds on a blank canvas. Pity Sex, mild everything down with ‘Acid Reflex’ intwined with intricate guitar solo breaks and softly touching vocals. Each band have ended with a cover to tie the split together, promoting their abilities. The Pixies cover of ‘Gigantic’ solid flows to an end, generating a blasting split.
8. Small Brown Bike / The Casket Lottery 12”
With three songs to share each, Small Brown Bike and The Casket Lottery team up to produce six ravishing songs. Punchy and fast paced, opening track ‘Wrong Hometown’ begins with a rugged bass line, soon joined by steady vocals. Shouting and raging chats are muddled with the bashful outbreak of music being beamed out of this split.
Closing with the latter end of the split, a crying outbreak of noises shatter the atmosphere with powerful vocals that are matched up with heavily packed guitar riffs.
9. Soul Search/Minus
Soul Search produce the longest track on this split with ‘Price of Freedom’ building yo with a skin crawling gradual buildup of breakdown that eventually developed with sharp grasping vocals. The track fills just enough bashful bitterness for the whole split, which then builds onto Minus’s side with ‘Shackled’. Throat shredded vocals bas out with a bruised listen followed up by ‘The Difference’ which contains enough passion to convince the whole split to be excelling brutal and impacting.
10. We Never Learned To Live / Human Future
An oddly played out split here comes with one track from We Never Learned To Live, grasping our senses with ‘Marionettes’. Wasting no time in the intro, crashing preaches of vocals storm in, broken with each line spat at, the track continuous to build up tension held back in the guitars. Lengthily in time, this goes unrecognised due to its captivating structure which builds onto Human Future’s two tracks. Ending the split with ‘Missionary’, both bands have contributed equally to produce such a solid standing split that truly sums up an end of another year.
