Leila Abdul-Rauf/Phantasial/Cyclic Law/2021 CD Review

 

  Leila  Abdul-Rauf  is  a  solo  artist  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  dark  ambient,  drone,  ethereal  and  experimental  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  2021  album  "Phantasial"  which  was  released  by  Cyclic  Law.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  start  off  the  album  while  the  synths  which  also  uses  a  variety  of  many  different  sounding  keys  also  bring  in  elements  of  dark  ambient.  When  vocals  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  an  ethereal  atmosphere  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  add  in  some  distorted  sounds.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  while  some  of  the  songs  are  also  instrumentals.  All  of  the  tracks  also  sound  very  different  from  each  other  as  well  as  having  their  cinematic  moments  along  with  some  live  trumpets  and glockenspiel  also  being  utilized  more  as  the  album  progresses.

  On  this  recording  :Leila  Abdul-Rauf  takes  dark  ambient,  drone,  experimental  and  thereal  and  mixes  them  together  to  take  her  sound  to  a  different  level.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  song  themes  are  inspired  by  Hellenistic  Philosophy.      

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Leila  Abdul-Rauf  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dark  ambient,  drone,  ethereal  and  experimental,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Distortions  In  Phantasy  I_Lure"  "Distortions  In  Phantasy  IV-Disembodiment"  and  "The  I  Emerges  IV_Cell".  8  out  of  10.

VIEW ON BANDCAMP

Leila Abdul-Rauf Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on since the recording of the album?

I’ve been quite busy preparing for this release - making sure artwork and layout are approved, assisting in the press release, doing interviews, etc. Also booking shows, local and abroad, with multiple projects for the entire year, recording for various collaborations, preparing for the new Ionophore album release which will follow this one, and writing a new album with Cardinal Wyrm.

2.You have your 3rd solo album coming out in March, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have done in the past?

Diminution is more musical in the traditional sense, and more improvisational, than the previous records. I rely more on acoustic instruments than synth patches - more trumpet, guitar and piano. The previous album Insomnia featured several guests, but the new album is just me on my own again. I still make use of field recordings and loops like I have on previous albums, but recorded more live performances this time.

3.The music on the solo albums are a lot different from the stuff that you recorded with a few of the extreme metal bands that you are a part of, do you feel you have a lot to offer to many different musical genres?

I can’t think of anything more boring than playing just one kind of music. I need multiple creative outlets to feel satisfied and to feel that all of my ideas are getting across.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored on the solo albums?

They’ve varied from personal loss to insomnia to artistic struggles in 21st century life.

5.You also play a variety of many different musical instruments, what are some of the instruments that you enjoy working with the most?

Guitar is what I am best at, but I make the best of my trumpet and piano playing, and use those instruments in my own unrefined way. I also enjoy making field recordings (distant train whistles and summer crickets are some of the things I’ve recorded). I sing a little too.

6.The album is also being released on 3 different labels, can you tell us a little bit more about the labels you worked with on the new recording?

Malignant Records is releasing the CD and specialize mainly in underground dark ambient, industrial, and noise artists. Cloister Recordings and Black Horizons are releasing a very limited vinyl edition, and specialize in similar kinds of artists but cross over into other genres too (e.g. dark folk, post rock).

7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork on the new album?

Matthew Jaffe did a set of 3 beautiful paintings for the cover. We’ve been friends for a long time, and I’ve always been a fan of his art, so it was great to finally work with him for one of my albums.

8.How has the feedback been to your solo work by your fans so far?

The reviews have been consistently positive for the past two albums. I’m blown away by all of the great feedback I’ve received from fans.

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?

I see myself continuing what I’ve been doing for a long time: writing, recording and playing live. I hope I stay healthy in mind and body to continue doing so for as long as I can.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Watching :zoviet*france live in 2011 was the catalyst that inspired me to begin a solo project. Harold Budd and Erik Satie are major influences on my piano playing. I dedicate a song on the new album to Pauline Oliveros, one of the pioneers of early electronic music and renowned professor/educator in experimental music circles. I also still love listening to metal, late 70s/early 80s synth pop and post punk, classical (Baroque and late 19th/early 20th century composers in particular).

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

I enjoy biking, hiking, meditation, reading and watching films (documentaries, sci-fi, noir). To the best that I am capable, I try to live a life full of compassion, learning and self-growth.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

I do not. Thanks for the interview.

https://leilaabdulrauf.bandcamp.com/

Leila Abdul-Rauf/Diminution/Cloister Recordings/Black Horizons/Malignant Records/2018 Full Length Review

  Leila  Abdul-Raif  is  a  solo  artist  from  San  Francisco,  California  that  plays  a  mixture  of  of  experimental,  drone,  ethereal, and  soundscape  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  2018  album  "Diminution"  which  will  be  released  in  April  as  a  joint  effort  between  Cloister  Recordings,  Black  Horizons,  and  Malignant  Records.

  Tragic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  ethereal  sounding  trumpets  which  also  bring  in  elments  of  jazz  music  while  the  music  also  gives  in  a  great  amount  of  ambient  soundscapes  along  with  some  female  vocals  being  added  after  awhile  and  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  an  ethereal   feeling.

  Drones  can  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  give  the  music  more  of  a  melancholic  atmosphere  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  all  instrumental  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  variety  and  guitars  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Leila  Abdul-Raif  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  experimental,  dark  ambient,  drone,  soundscape  and  ethereal  music  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  her  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark and  melancholic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Leila  Abdul-Raif  is  a  very  great  sounding  ethereal  mixture  of  experimental,  drone,  soundscape  and  dark  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Diminution"  "Wayward"  and  "Light  Rising".  8  out  of  10.   

https://leilaabdulrauf.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/leilaabdulrauf