I listen to mustic 24/7 but I don't think I've ever written an album review. I need to fill my site with shit from my brain, so might as well start now. I'm gonna review my second favorite NDAD album.
From Rotting Fantasylands is the last album released by Nero's Day at Disneyland. It has 15 tracks and lasts a little over half an hour. Lauren Bousfield (Nero's) would retire the pseudonym after this and continue to release music under her own name, changing her sound as well.
From Rotting Fantasylands is her most circus-like album. It takes the dark grit from Colonists and mixes it with the mechanical mania Nero's was overall known for. Stuff more similar to Grievances and Dead Malls, my favorite album. Any vocals or punk influence present in Attention Shoppers is gone. Just experimental breakcore.
This album is really good. Like brain static and computer glitches in the medieval era. Talking about her music always leads to the person sounding kind of pretentious, ha. It's hard to describe it without bringing up vague concepts that make no sense. Her music is intoxicating. This album was the first one I ever listened to, it's what introduced me to Nero's/Lauren.
I'd give the album an 8.9/10. It's not as solid as Grievances and Dead Malls in my opinion. That's only an EP so maybe it's not fair to put 7 tracks against 15. I don't care.
I want to keep each track review relatively short but each deserves it's own thought piece. Have to make this review long somehow.
1. "In Aisles"
I have personal connection to this track. It means something to me I can't fully describe. When I listen to it I feel buzzing in my brain like it's calling to me. I love the sampled vocals and the drums, the drop is the best part of the whole track. When it reaches near the end and the whole track builds, exploding and layering more drums, I feel my hair standing up.
2. "Civilizing People"
Right after "In Aisles," this feels weak. It doesn't hit the same way but I think it's alright. This sound is diluted, maybe muddy. It just feels so quiet. My favorite part is around 1:35 when there's this warbly synth in the background with the sharp glitching in front. Then the rapid "plin" noises come back in and finish with a crash.
3. "No Money Down, Low Monthly Payments"
This one's a slow burn. Only 2:22 and it takes till 1:00 for the track to kick in. I don't hate it. That building right before it drops is something out of a classical concert. Then it goes right back down, but more developed. That "mewling" vocal at 1:47 is so good. Solid track.
4. "Child Protective Services Theme Song"
YouTuber's outro track. I think this track is overplayed or overrated. The rapidfire from 0:34 to 0:45 scratches my brain but other than that I don't care much. Still alright, I associate it with AKIRA Volume 3 if anything. Just because "Child Protective Services" and Akira. He's a child.
5. "Charging Swarm of Mouseketeers"
YES. This track is so fucking good. So much energy, it really brings out that maniacal element in Nero's stuff. The chopped samples and the drums are as good as usual. I love the sweeping, warbling effects throughout and the bubbling notes. This track is a good time, way better than the previous.
6. "Everything Must Go"
It's like a steam powered machine or a giant computer. Actually, this track is what the album cover sounds like. It's criminally short like so many of her tracks are. Just as it starts getting even better, it's already over.
7. "Death Parade"
Weirdly unsettling. The cacophony of sound growing and growing, almost like it's a storm raging on, is really good. I don't listen to this track that often.
8. "Action Winter Journey"
Everything Must Go's cooler brother. Still sounds like a living computer, but then we get some piano that was desperately needed. The mix of mechanical and classical, I guess. Really good. Around 1:25 is my favorite part, the rapid snare coming in and joining the mechanical sounds. Brings it together.
9. "Stretched Linen Over Contorted Bodies"
This fucking track. The first 30 seconds of this track make me feel insane. You should be able to understand Lauren's words but you can't. I wish the first part of this track was released because I need it. The second half of this track is just a bunch of Lauren's old music repurposed but it's still good.
10. "Eulogy for Nick Galvas"
Another case of Lauren resampling her old music. This track has stuff from "Death to the Normals" by Beautiful Mutants. She did a lot of punk work before switching up to electronic. I like this track, my favorite part is 2:10 onward. Not much else to say.
11. "In Keyed Fantasy"
Another track I don't listen to often unless I'm running the whole album. Typical Nero's track, I like the weird screaming in the half of the track. Very merry-go-round feeling overall.
12. "Probably End Up Dead in a Ditch Somewhere"
This one is also unsettling but not like Death Parade. Feels like radiation sickness. Lauren's drum work on all these tracks is great, even if it isn't super technical. I like the mechanical jarring and the hellish screaming. Solid track, it's over before it sinks in.
13. "Plumes of ATM Sinew"
Least streamed track! Very underrated. The glitching in this track, mixing with everything else, is one of the best off the whole album. Shit, when the whole track stops at 1:01 and it feels like it's stopping to kick you in the chest, gets me. Great chopped up drum samples. I also feel connection with this track.
14. "Vengeance in Cloudland"
I used to not like this track, but after re-listening to the album a dozen times and then some, I've come to appreciate it. The chorus over the glitching is Nero's distilled. Mixing ethereal and literal, machine and alive. Very good.
15. "Sprawling Idiot Effigy"
Eh. I could and think I have fallen asleep to this track playing before. Not much to say about it. It's a quiet end to an otherwise lively album. Kind of disappointing.
Take a shot every time I said "good" in this.
WRITTEN: JULY 2024