Top Bar
Musique Machine Logo Home ButtonReviews ButtonArticles ButtonBand Specials ButtonAbout Us Button
SearchGo Down
Search for  
With search mode in section(s)
And sort the results by
show articles written by  
 Review archive:  # a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Deerhunter - Cryptograms [Kranky - 2007]

Deerhunters mix of psychedelia, ambient, lo–fi indie and new wave edges returns for its second album. The band have gathered a large amount praise in places low and high, but for myself I find it all passable enough, but really for most of it’s playing time it just seems to drift by with out much excitement.

I think  half the problem is the lo-fi psychedelic indie moments that take up large chunks of the front end of the album, are just rather un-inspired retread of cliché we’ve heard a million times, churning garage rock riffs with echoed vocals and hash smoke hazed guitar. When they do drop into more ambient and spiralling instrumental moments, it’s done in a passable manner, but again nothing really mind-blowing original or potent enough to send you mind truly drifting up and out of your head. There’s also all manner of random tripped out effects like; backwards guitars, bird song and for some reason the sound of water keeps appearing again and again, All of these seemed place in a rather haphazard and erratic manner, with little artistic merit.

Really what I think Deerhunter are trying to do is make psychedelic / drone music that will appeal to the indie kids and popular music press readers, which is ok it it’s self, but as a album of original  experimental music it leaves a lot to be desired. Rather  disappointing releash from the usual quality heavy Kranky label.

Rating: 2 out of 5Rating: 2 out of 5Rating: 2 out of 5Rating: 2 out of 5Rating: 2 out of 5

Roger Batty
Latest Reviews

Deerhunter - Cryptograms
Deerhunters mix of psychedelia, ambient, lo–fi indie and new wave edges returns for its second album. The band have gathered a large amount ...
061125   Ms.45 - Ms.45(Blu Ray/ UHD)
051125   Marc Benner - Rejection Sens...
051125   Barrena and See Through Build...
051125   Please Don't Feed the Childre...
051125   Illustrious - Mesmerine 111
041125   Anton Lambert and Thanos Poly...
041125   Charles Bobuck, - GOD O: Musi...
041125   Etant Donnes - Les Cents Jou...
031125   Sluta Leta - Drift Dekoder
011125   Kleistwahr - Winter/Music for...
Latest Articles

Michael Hurst Interview - Unbalan...
One of the more creative & original horror films I’ve seen/ reviewed recently is Transmission, a 2023 film which, a few months ago, received a DVD ...
281025   Michael Hurst Interview - Unb...
071025   Xiphos - The Rise And Fall Of...
030925   Third Window Films - A Label ...
130825   HNW fest- Barcelona- 12th Apr...
250725   Raté interview - Walled-in F...
180625   Matthew Holmes - Of razor-sha...
280525   The Residents - Visits From T...
090525   Ennaytch - Of walls, abused ...
150425   Dead, Dead Swans interview - ...
110325   Sebastian Tomb - Walls of unb...
Go Up
(c) Musique Machine 2001 -2025. Twenty four years of true independence!! Mail Us at questions=at=musiquemachine=dot=comBottom