Feb 5 2015

[Audio] Cosmic Angst’s ‘Mytheme I-IV’

London Italo/SpaceSynth producer Chris Gilbert is taking a break from filling our ears with epic synth soundscapes as Mild Peril for a while to fill our ears with epic synth soundscapes as Cosmic Angst. He’s been drip feeding psychedelic synthesizer jams as Cosmic Angst for a while now, the latest of these being the just released Imbolc EP. The EP is made up for four songs Mytheme I-IV, which are actually one seventeen minute opus. So sit back, headphones on, and sink into the world of Cosmic Angst.

Taking the listener through soundtrack moods, Industrial percussive moments and soaring crescendos Mytheme I-IV is an immersive experience. Throughout the four movements hints of Jarre can be found amongst the SpaceSynth warbling. For a seven minute musical journey Mytheme I-IV is amazingly tight, each section flowing into the next seamlessly with it’s underlying themes providing stability to the audio narrative. Reviewing either Mild Peril or Cosmic Angst’s electro odysseys sometimes feels more like reviewing a movie, as there’s definite plot or character moments that unmistakable inform the listen of what’s supposed to be going on as the story unfolds in the imagination, played out by burbling apreggios and stratospheric solos. Without wanting to drop any spoilers, it’s fair to say if you love synths you will love this

♫ Cosmic Angst – Mytheme I-IV

Mild Peril’s Imbolc is out now on Bandcamp.

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Nov 28 2014

[Download] Mild Peril’s ‘The Sentinel’

Last year SpaceSynth maestro Mild Peril snuck onto our X-Mas playlists with his epic instrumental take on Walking In The Air, Airwalking, from his Themes EP. This year, after the release of his Matter album, he’s back in a radial reworking (and slightly festive) mood in his just released The Sentinel single. The release contains two tracks, both homages to the works of Mike Oldfield, one of Mild Peril’s biggest influences, in this instance he takes on Sentinel from Tubular Bells II and In The Pool.

The Sentinel (Tubular Bells II) is a sprawling synthesizer epic (but then again all Mild Peril’s works are), and is bizarrely X-Massy. We say ‘bizarrely’ because it;s not at all X-Massy, yet manages to really be. Yeah, that doesn’t make sense, but once you listen to it you’ll see what we mean. It’s ominous tones and dramatic leads all become sort of comforting and as Mild Peril himself says “because if you do pretty much anything on a tubular bell sound, it will sound like Christmas”. He’s got a point. The Pool is more of a dancefloor Italo classic, dripping with European 80s flair as cheeky snyth riffs dance around each other and a pure Pop bassline. The prefect counterpoint to it’s flip side. Did we mention it’s a free release? Go grab yourself some synth goodness.

♫ Mild Peril – The Sentinel (Tubular Bells II)

♫ Mild Peril – The Pool

Mild Peril’s The Sentinel (Tubular Bells II) is out now on Bandcamp.

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Jul 4 2014

[Audio] Mild Peril’s ‘The Duel’

London’s Italo and SpaceSynth master Mild Peril this week unleashes a new collection of tracks on digital download or cassette. Teaming up with Telefuture for the release, Mild Peril neatly packages a few tracks we’ve heard before with one or two new surprises in a cheeky tape form. The mini-album, titled Matter, features the likes of Excalibur and Galatine alongside new tunes such as Paladin’s Theme and The Duel.

Paladin’s Theme is the releases opener, and sets the tone nicely. Revelling in Mild Peril’s recently acquired Medieval overtones, Paladin’s Theme creates an epic mood but pairs that with some sweet orchestral hits (you know how much we love out orchestral hits!) and luxurious synths. The end result is not to dissimilar to a theme from an 80s sword and sorcery movie, it also gives Mild Peril free rein to delivers some truly soaring solo work that really makes this nine minute electronic oddessy something special. The Duel is more full on power-Italo, six minutes of driving apreggios underpinning some superbly rousing synthesizer melodies. Mild Peril guides you through the highs and lows of a music narrative that at times is genuinely exciting. The whole EP is well worth your attention whether you’ve heard Mild Peril before or not.

♫ Mild Peril – Paladin’s Theme

♫ Mild Peril – The Duel

Mild Peril’s Matter is out now and available here.

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Mar 13 2014

[Download] Mild Peril’s ‘Excalibur’ EP

London’s finest purveyor of Italo and Space Synth Mild Peril with a new three track EP is cosmic, electronic, voyages. Serving as a precursor to his forthoming second album, Excalibur delivers three tracks of what Mild Peril called “Mediaeval Synth”, and we’d call beautiful, funky, synthetic dreams. Strap in.

The EP’s title track serves up a platter of pounding Industrial beats and blissful vintage synths. The mixture of punchy sounds and hazy, sweeping keys that we’ve come to expect from Mild Peril is present and correct. Rich and emotive, Excalibur is just he first part of this journey, but one that completely enthrals over it’s seven minute length. As Excalibur is a reworking of Sequence 1, Galatine re-treads ground covered by Sequence 2 sending it into strange magical places backed with a stomping EBM beat, peppering it with zippy synths and a bouncy European basslines, all leading up to a soaring and involving solo. First featuring on his Themes EP Mild Peril’s cover of the Game Of Thrones theme, Throne Of Swords, is given a dark ages danceable tweak with this new version, a track to surprise and delight seedy Italo dancefloors. We can’t recommend Mild Peril enough for serious synthesizer music fans.

♫ Mild Peril – Excalibur

♫ Mild Peril – Galatine

♫ Mild Peril – Throne Of Swords (Red Wedding Dance)

Mild Peril’s Excalibur EP is out now at Bandcamp.

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Dec 12 2013

[Download] Mild Peril’ ‘Themes’ EP

We’ve been waiting for this EP to drop for a little while now, a couple of weeks ago London Italomeister Mild Peril unleashed his interpretation of the Doctor Who theme tune to coincide with the shows 50th Anniversary with hints that a whole EP of TV themes was to come. Well, here it is, three tracks of synthesizer bliss with enough nostalgia to put a smile on your face.

There’s three tracks on the EP, we’re going to present two here and let you discover the third, Mild Peril’s rework of the A Game Of Thrones theme tune, for yourself. Of the other two one is a pure revelation. Would we ever in a million years think Aled Jones’ Walking In The Air from the Raymond Briggs cartoon The Snowman would make an amazing dark Italo song? That’ll be a no. But y’know what? It really does. Mild Peril gently lays down washes of electronic, atmospheric sound and building arpeggios until when that instantly recognisable refrain emerges all thoughts of Welsh chiorboys has gone from your mind and your just left with a pulsating synthetic soundscape and one of the richest riffs we’ve heard in a while and some beautiful playing. Who’s There?, obviously the Doctor Who theme, opens with some dialogue form the shows very first episode, and proceeds to have fun with the tune. Whipping the theme’s lead line into an Italo frenzy, Mild Peril layers twisting snyths against a shuffling beat and the cultural icon that is the track’s bassline really capturing mood the show’s 80s years. You should all definitely check out this EP, producing TV theme cover version without producing extra helping of cheese is quite a feat, but Mild Peril pulls it off with style.

♫ Mild Peril – Airwalking/The Snow Man

♫ Mild Peril – Who’s There?

Mild Peril’s Themes EP is out now, grab a copy on Bandcamp.

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Oct 31 2013

[Audio] Mild Peril’s ‘Wizards’ Pupil’/’Arp Of Pan’

What better day than Halloween to continue your journey down the rabbit hole that is the world of Mild Peril. The latest release from London’s Italo Experimentalist comes in the form of a brand new four track EP. It’s a double A-side affair, first up is two versions of Wizard’s Pupil, followed by two versions of Arp Of Pan on the flip. Pretty Proggy titles, huh? Well, it is Halloween. And don’t worry about the names, hit play any you’ll be treated to some serious cosmic synth narrative. You won’t regret it.

Both track come in two flavours, First Sequence and Second Sequence. Wizard’s Pupil stars life as a burbling slice of moody Italo, the creeping dread of mid 80s Horror movie soundtracks evident as Mild Peril’s musical story starts to unfold. Clocking in at 8 minutes Wizard’s Pupil (First Sequence) has plenty of time to evolve, morphing from the melancholy synth of it’s beginnings into an optimistic, even uplifting, slice of electronic wonder, which is carried into it’s Second Sequence where the shiny, hopeful, synths are complimented with a retro dancefloor beat. Arp Of Pan continues to play both the atmospheric Italo and cinematic SynthWave cards, undulating waves of arpeggios crashing against a steady groove to create something quite hypnotic broken by twisting and rousing solos. The Arps’ Second Sequence bring takes the mood to a more pensive place for the EP’s closer, with a deep and mysterious fifteen minutes of synthetic bliss. Another storming release from Mild Peril and a must for synthesizer fans.

♫ Mild Preil – Wizard’s Pupil (First Sequence)

♫ Mild Peril – Arp Of Pan (First Sequence)

Mild Peril’s Wizards’ Pupil/Arp Of Pan is out now on Bandcamp.

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Sep 19 2013

[Audio] Body Party’s ‘Theme’

Body Party is the new, or old as the case may be, project from Italo cosmonaut, Mild Peril’s Chris Flatline. Apparently originally conceived while Chris was DJing the now legendary Endurance club nights in London (which I guess put’s them around circa 2009-2010-ish), the tracks have been cleaned up and released for the first time to the public under the Body Party Moniker.

You’ll fine two releases on Body Party’s Bandcamp, the lead release being the single, Theme and it’s B-side, P.P.P.T.. Heavily New Beat, with a nod to Italo and a sprinkling of EBM, Theme a pounding beat with just a hint of Industrial purcussion to the Sci-Fi Italo we are used to. This kind of Belgian groove is particularly resonant with us, as we spend a good deal of our teens stomping to sounds like this. Synthetic Disco with a cold heart Theme manages to be both intimidatingly machine–like and and emotionally melodic, just like the best New Beat should. P.P.P.T. leans slightly more toward the EBM end of the spectrum, delivering jackhammer old school basslines and a proto-Acid hypnotic vibe before flipping the switch and sweeping in with some rousing SynthWave soundtrack work, a dangerous combination.

While you;re here, check out Body Party’s other release, available for free it contains two tracks, a brooding, relentless New Beat taken on Yazoo’s Situation and a bizarrely brilliant mash-up of Front 242’s Headhunter and Amnesia’s Ibiza.

♫ Body Party – Theme/Muscles

♫ Body Party – P.P.P.T.

♫ Body Party – New Beat Situation (Extended)

♫ Body Party – Headhunting In Ibiza

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Jul 16 2013

[Audio] Mild Peril’s ‘Unknown Zones’ Vol’s 1 & 2

July had been a busy week for London based Italo synthesist Chris Flatline A.K.A. Mild Peril. With two releases, on different formats, in the space of a week, Mild Peril in on the approach vector to deliver the culmination of this particular phase of his Cosmic Italo journey. One limited edition, on Vivod Records, and one digital release should whet people appetites for of this lush, evocative, electronic soundtrack.

Firstly, there is the limited edition 12” release of Alpha Zone and Gamma Zone. Both to be found in their original form on the Unknown Zones, First Survey EP, here slightly reworked but no less fantastical. These two tracks are amongst Mild Peril’s best, robotic yet emotional, mysterious yet comforting, utilising machine beats, razor sharp lead lines and heady swirls of synthesizer sounds to create moods for your head and your feet. Owning these two tunes on vinyl is a pretty interesting prospect for the discerning Italo DJ. The second release, Unknown Zones Vol. 2, contains two new tunes, Outer Zone/Sigma Zone and Crisis In Gamma Zone, both built upon existing themes but honed through the last couple of years of releases and live shows into two epic electronic narratives. At around quarter of an hour each, there is much scope here for ushering the listener through a variety of moods that weave together to tell the tale of the whole. Haunting chimes and cascades of electronic warmth will give way to pulsating arpeggios and pulsating FM bass, and back again, as the voyage though Italo, Cosmic Disco and late 70s soundtrack vibes progresses. A definite recommendation for any lover of synthesizer music that should be seeing a physical release later in the year.

♫ Mild Peril – Alpha Zone

♫ Mild Peril – Crisis In Gamma Zone

Mild Peril’s Unknown Zones Vol. 1 and Unknown Zones Vol. 2 are both out now.

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Feb 14 2013

[Audio] Mild Peril’s ‘Voyager 2010’ EP

This week London based Italo Experimentalist Mild Peril released his latest EP. Well, latest as in ‘just released’, the tracks themselves date from 2010 (hence the EP’s title, Voyager 2012), but sound as fresh now as ever. Running the gauntlet from Italo to Minimal Synth to EBM to Cosmic Disco, Voyager’s three epics deliver vastly different styles, but are neatly tied together in Mild Peril’s rich analog atmosphere.

Separated into Sequences, the EP kicks off with Sequence I-II, an immediate attention grabber. It’s an evocative slice of Sci-Fi synth with a nostalgic Italo-Disco vibe. Whilst the pulsating Disco bass groove would be easy to get lost in on the dancefloor, the real joy of this eight minute odyssey is just sitting back and listening to the playing. The layers of intertwining melody sweep about the track carrying the listener through a music narrative with some hair raising solo moments. Sequence III is Minimal Synth meets SynthWave affair. Punchy drums, undulating arpeggios and a surprisingly sweet organ deliver an upbeat, driving exploration of live synth works. The EP closes on Sequence IV which sees the organ return in a much more ominous capacity over a track with classic EBM in it’s DNA. Considering this EP was pieced together out of older oddities in Mild Peril’s repertoire, it leaves us pretty excited to hear what he’s got planned going into the future.

♫ Mild Peril – Voyager, Sequence I-II

♫ Mild Peril – Voyager, Sequence III

If you’re in London this weekend you should check out Mild Peril’s EP release party, also featuring Soft Riot and A Terrible Splendour, details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/323188217785131

Voyager 2012 is out now.

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Nov 20 2012

[Audio] Mild Peril’s ‘Unknown Zones’

Chris Flatline has been a staple of the London Italo/EBM scene for years now. Whether promoting, DJing and producing, he’s always brought with him interesting futuristic beats and Sci-fi synth. His current musical project is Mild Peril, melodic and atmospheric Space Italo, the moniker under which he’ll be releasing a collection of tracks from he past three years titled Voyager 2010 in the new year. As a prelude to this album, Mild Peril is releasing a free (for a limited time) EP of evocative and involving synthesizer music, Unknown Zones, First Survey.

First up we should say that this is an EP you should give yourself some time with. Set aside forty minutes with this EP and some decent headphones and just sink into it. There’s no throwaway buzz track or this weekly floorfiller here, this is intricately crafted electronic music that can carry you with it on it’s cosmic voyage and that’ll stay with you for hours after you’ve finished listening. The record is essentially carved out into three zones, each one quite an epic synthesized experience, separated by three Orbs that serve to transition from one zone to the next. Mostly lush, atmospheric soundscapes, the Orbs not only cleanse the audio pallet but create a feeling of movement between the more recognisable tracks. Alpha Zone is classic Spacesynth with an analog twist, introducing itself with a beautiful, haunting electric piano and a future noir vibe before launching into an robo Italo beast with a wealth of musical nuances. Clocking in at just under ten minutes, Gamma Zone, is the biggest voyage that awaits the listener. Spanning a variety of moods Gamma Zone delivers a synthesizer narrative with rising and falling beats and some truly emotive lead lines. The EP’s climax is, arguable, Delta Zone. The closes thing to SynthWave on the EP, Delta Zone’s rapid fire arpeggios and twisting solos take it truly into Outrun territory, but it retains the analog feel and keeps both it’s uniqueness, and it’s place amongst the EP, providing the exciting pinnacle of the release. Unknown Zones, First Survey is most definitely an EP that should be checked out by lovers of both Italo & SynthWave, and of synthesizer music in general. Make sure that you give it the attention it deserves, you will be rewarded.