If patience is a virtue, it’s especially true of music. The instant gratification of a nasty riff or a massive chorus certainly carries substantial value, but songs that dole out their pleasures and reveal their intricacies in measured doses are generally my favorite. Working under the moniker Charolastra, electronic producer Peter Roglin seems to put significant stock in spacing out his various beats, textures, and rhythms, and playing them off of one another to create a dynamic convergence of disparate sounds and styles.
With its menacing bass rumble and steely drum stomp, Charolastra’s latest single, “Spiraling Down,” finds Roglin exploring the darker edges of ambient and trip hop. The track progresses subtly with each added layer of instrumentation serving as another stage in the song’s overall evolution. The focus throughout seems to lay in the deliberate crafting of tension with ominous synth blasts acting as exhaust valves for the composition’s grim march into darkness. But then the payoff starts to build, with the mood shifting gradually from one of foreboding to something more speculative and cosmic. When the piano finally dances its way into the mix, the transformation is complete. It’s a singular moment of sublime atmospheric splendor—but you’re going to have to wait for it.
“Spiraling Down” is the lead single from Charolastra’s forthcoming LP, God Help Us, due out Feb. 17 on cassette and digital via the newly founded VLSC Records. A release show will take place on Saturday, February 18 at 529, which will feature a live ensemble performing music from the album. The ensemble is comprised of Roglin on keys and electronics, Speros Kokenes on guitar, Dylan Banks on drums, and Alex Pound on bass.
Listen below.
Charolastra will celebrate the release on Sat., Feb. 18 at 529. TheyungMatthew and Clothes will play in support, with Dee Belvedere (aka Dylan Banks) playing a late-night set. Doors open at 9 p.m. Admission is $7. 21+ to enter.
More Info
Bandcamp: charolastra.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @CarlAshtray
SoundCloud: @charolastra-3
Twitter: @Charol_astrA