The Shadow’s Gone Out—Final Alarm EP (2022)

Details

Released Friday 23 September 2022

For fans of Nine Inch Nails, Russian Circles, Ez3kiel

Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Website | YouTube

Band

Enault Anthony—Bass
Nourtier Julien—Drums and samples

Tracks

Pills
Sous la pluie (Under the rain)
Final alarm

Review

Final Alarm (2022) is the first EP from French (Tours) instrumental duo The Shadow’s Gone Out. Influenced by underground music from England and the USA, the band has no lead instrument but is rather a blend of bass, drums and electronic samples.

Opening track, “Pills” (track 1) opens with what sounds like a sample of a big band overlaid with drums before it settles down into a jolly groove that is visited by vocal samples and instrumental embellishments. It sounds like the incidental music from a gritty video game, or the soundtrack to a sci-fi police drama as the credits roll. It took a couple of listens to get into, but it eventually got under my skin (and the track name reminded me that I hadn’t taken my medication today). It put me in mind of American industrial project Circle of Dust.

“Sous la pluie” (track 2), French for ‘Under the rain’, is a slightly shorter track, that leans heavily on electronic effects as it trundles through this sample-heavy landscape and walkie-talkie-style vocal samples. While it does explore a couple of riffs during an extended middle-eight, it soon returns to its original groove which it takes to the end of the track.

The EP closes with the title track, “Final alarm” (track 3) which initially has a more industrial feel before settling down into a pleasing bass riff around which corkscrews a subtle drums pattern. Electronic incidentals and vocal samples add layers and colour to a pleasing track that switches feel about halfway through as an alarm screams in the background.

Conclusion

While it took me a couple of listens to get into, I very much enjoyed this short EP, a little over 12 minutes. It is the kind of music that I could listen to on repeat while I focus on a writing or coding project. The songs fall into a pleasing groove and are served rather than hindered by the electronic samples.

Review score: 85%

Video

Disclosure

MDPR contacted me inviting me to preview The Shadow’s Gone Out forthcoming album, thank you. I have no connections to either MDPR or The Shadow’s Gone Out. I’m not being paid to review this. But I did get a free digital copy of the album to review which is pretty cool. Many thanks to Zach from MDPR, and to The Shadow’s Gone Out for continuing to create fresh, exciting music.