Cyclical disasters: Redhanded and Digital Carbs review

Digital Carbs – Slowly

Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock

Someone once likened a record collection to an art collection for regular people. I like how that sounds! The only difference, of course, is that record collections are much less frequent nowadays because of all the musical works becoming available on the internet for a fraction of the price with which those were previously sold. 

The new record collection is made up of bytes stored on a digital device. Now, of course, this doesn’t sound or look as romantic as a stack of records. But, the modern era has just as much drama, and as many people looking to overcome it as there ever was. The modern, digital world provides new, deeper waters, and people must learn to traverse them. 

Through all of it, pop music offers methods of survival and means of comprehending reality. Digital Carbs’ Slowly feels like a dance taken over the previously described, rough terrain. It’s a way to practice your psychological reactions around calamities, and in doing so learn to deal with them when and if they should occur. Modern shamans of music still exist, and Digital Carbs are looking to make themselves belong to that tradition. 

Redhanded – Bottom

Genre: 90s Rock, Alternative Rock

There are small pockets of time during pop music’s existence when possibilities seem endless. These eras are few and far between. Besides, usually, they don’t last for too long. All of these make them special, and naturally, lead to feelings of nostalgia from people who’ve lived them. 

Now, nostalgia can be a powerful tool when it comes to pop music. If you’ve ever walked into a music store (some of those still exist) and glanced at the prices of deluxe editions or box sets of your favourite artists, you’ll know that this is true. Who in their right mind would pay hundreds of Euro for a couple of bonus live songs that are already floating on the internet?

There is good nostalgia as well, of course. This is born out of the desire to live out the ideals of a by-gone era. Redhanded’s Bottom echoes the mavericks of the 90s alternative-rock boom. The band’s strategy is to mix the rock palette in a way that emphasizes the tension of the composition. It was a time when any kinds of musical ideas seemed ripe for integration into modern music. Redhanded is of the belief that the same methods should apply now.