Funeral Parlor Double Post

'Axis Flowers' and 'Split With Waves Crashing Piano Chords'
Funeral Parlor/Waves Crashing Piano Chords
2014

Review by Brayden Bagnall

Genre/s: Synth Pop, Darkwave, Ambient, Noise, Power Electronics
For Fans Of: Croatian Amor, Prurient, Christian Cosmos, Lust For Youth, Whitehouse

Josh Doughty (whom I've interview previously on the blog here) is the man behind downer synth outfit, Funeral Parlor.
Funeral Parlor mixes airy synth and subtle, ambient noise to create sad, melancholic music with a heavy focus on atmospherics, both airy and bleak.
Axis Flowers is a fully realized evolution of Funeral Parlor's previous work, with its four tracks delivering a much more pop-oriented vibe, whilst still remaining true to its dark, depressing roots. Vocals are used sparsely, from Access Flower's opening monologue, to the pained scream in Morning Due and melt into the mix as an eerie companion to the synth and background ambiance.
Funeral Parlor's split with one man feedback tantrum Waves Crashing Piano Chords, on the other hand sees the haunting synth melodies juxtaposed with blistering power electronics on a split 7".
Side A presents two live tracks from Waves Crashing Piano Chords, I Hope I Get AIDS which then leads into ...Or Is It Me. The recording really captures the ferocity and full brunt of the microphone feedback, essentially frog marching you into the live performance and forcing your head right up against an amplifier.
Side B is a single Funeral Parlor track, Sway Away. Recorded in the same session as Axis Flowers, its despondent atmosphere and rising tides of synth and background static may not posses the sheer brute force of WCPC's side, but certainly make up for it by leaving you emotionally drained and just a tad bit sad.
Both releases are available for your listening pleasure below, both via bandcamp (where you can find a multitude of other Funeral Parlor releases available as well) and download. While you're at it, hit up Dumpster Noise Records to nab yourself a Funeral Parlor tee, and other related noise project tapes. Also keep an eye out for the physical release of the WCPC split (due November) on the H8-Track Stereo site.

TRACKLISTING:

Axis Flowers
1. Access Flowers
2. Morning Dew
3. Mourning Due
4. Axis Flowers
Bandcamp

Split With WCPC
1. I Hope I Get AIDS/...Or Is It Me? (WCPC)
2. Sway Away (Funeral Parlor)
Bandcamp
Download