SIDEWALKS AND SKELETONS | EXORCISM | REVIEW

"Exorcism" is the latest 14 tracks album by artist Sidewalks and Skeletons (AKA Bradford's Jake Lee), who comes from a metal background and developed a taste for dark electronic later on. He has since then shared the stage with bands such as Crystal Castles and HEALTH.

This record comes after, "Entity", "The Void", and the huge success of "White Light", a statement record in the witch house genre. While incapsulating reminiscences of it, Exorcism surfs on slightly less cinematic vibes but it definitely offers a new exhilarating version of his throbbing electronic club beats.

Guest vocalists are featured throughout this album, with Goo Munday, CASHFORGOLD, and Ferngazer making his synths even darker.

The production, despite the mashup of different styles and its noisy experimental flavour, is detailed, dynamic, and crisp - every time it needs to be. It's in tracks like "Shadow", that we can fully appreciate the inner energy of this artist. A song filled with hooks, ethereal singing, and a flamboyant decadent atmosphere that takes you to the depths of his rabbit hole.

In "Awakening" we spot one of his typical progressions, building up through the song with a futuristic theatrical effect, like a rocket shot into space and then stuck into a loop. I actually think that the concept of "loop" is a common denominator to most of the tracks on this record. It is through repetition that he achieves these haunting, threatening, yet beautiful scenarios. 

"Eclipse" is another example of that. I like to link this song to the concept of Stockholm syndrome. We are captive in a dimension which is scary, mystical and anxious. We eventually find comfort and reassurance in knowing there is no hope, just endless repetition of the same emotions. A strange sense of security that comes from the "expected".

Unfortunately, with "Outerbody", the unexpected happens, and we are set free. The dark spell is broken, and we abandon our bodies, freely swimming into space. This track gives off an immense sense of freedom and lightness, lulling us "Into the Dark", the closing track. This is a well structured and balanced tune, with a natural progression and a great sense of story telling. The ending in particular is the most cinematic moment of the album (almost bridging into the previous White Light).

All in all, I absolutely adored this album, as much as White Light yes.