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EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Make Time to Experience Mamaleek’s Experimental Blackgaze Opus Out of Time

One of my favorite aspects of being a music writer is being able to spend plenty of time dissecting albums I review for the blog ahead of their release. And

6 years ago

One of my favorite aspects of being a music writer is being able to spend plenty of time dissecting albums I review for the blog ahead of their release. And for albums like Out of Time, that extra time is nothing short of a blessing. The album is hardly your father’s blackgaze, and Mamaleek continue to prove that they’re one of the most perplexing and invigorating duos operating in and around the subgenre. What other bands would warrant comparisons to everyone from DJ Shadow to Om to Wreck and Reference?

Now, we arrive at this post, which provides an example of another one of my favorite parts of covering underground music. Being able to share underground artists with our audiences is not only something we pride ourselves on, but it keeps us going and keeps us pushing through busy work and personal schedules. I couldn’t think of another band I’d be happier to spotlight than Mamaleek, an anonymous duo that deserves heaps of praise and attention for their incredibly unique approach to a slew of subgenres both within and adjacent to black metal, as well as other styles that you’d assume are completely foreign to the genre. Without further ado, let me direct you to a full album fo stream of the band’s phenomenal new album Out of Time. I encourage you to digest every minute detail of the album, which is available 8/31 via The Flenser.

As I wrote in my review last week, the palette Mamaleek draw from is full of a vast array of shades and hues. The duo experiment with the blackgaze formula by adding the groove and mood of post-punk and strong Arabic influences and rhythms, all of which is then tweaked with electronic and industrial elements. Along the way, this formula dabbles in everything from jazz to trip-hop to every corner of experimental rock, making for one of the most eclectic listening experiences you’ll encounter form any genre this year. To quote myself directly, “Mamaleek once again approach blackgaze from a completely unique angle and carve out their own niche within a slew of genres both near and far from their blackened roots. The duo’s sonic offerings offer a dense, challenging journey through bleak soundscapes that warrant repeat listens to fully unravel. But as these mixtures become less foreign and more alluring, Out of Time will reveal itself as an incredibly rich and rewarding experience well worth a spot among the strongest releases of the year.”

I hope by this point you’ve already pressed play, and in the off chance you haven’t, I’ll wrap it up here and direct you to the stream above. At the very least, Mamaleek deserves a full, fair listen to present everything they have to offer. I think Out of Time is more than worth the time to explore, and I hope you agree. Finally, be sure to watch Bandcamp for the album’s release this Friday, or check out the link above to pre-order the album from The Flenser. As the label continues to prove with bands like Mamaleek, they continue to curate some of the best “dark music” out there in the scene today.

Scott Murphy

Published 6 years ago