Rise Black – Artificial Dance [Fill-Lex Records]

As announced by Fill-Lex Records, the Valencian label had planned to close at the end of the year, or the beginning of 2022, the series of Zar del Olimpo releases by Rise Black, a producer who divides his nationality between Russia and Greece, although he currently resides in Seville and is already one more in the Spanish electro scene, with several proposals such as Electronic Wave, which is regularly held in the Prisma room in Seville.

Maxim Gkikaev was planning to release a second volume of this cycle, thus bringing to an end this work composed of tracks created in the pre-pandemic era, between 2016 and 2019. This second part of Zar del Olimpo follows in the same wake as its predecessor album, a musical line oriented towards a primordial base derived from electro, however, various influences from other genres can be appreciated.

On this occasion, the artist reduces the number of tracks, leaving the album with 7 tracks, as opposed to the 11 of the first volume. Zar del Olimpo Vol.2 starts with Artificial Dance, a track in which he shows great skill in combining structures and textures that we can perfectly place in styles such as electro, acid or industrial, as the physiognomy of its punch is forceful, its rhythm is syncopated and its scarce melody is hypnotic. END coincides very little with the previous cut, quite the contrary, since although it is rhythmically commanded by a break, the musicality is a very important element that is not always shown, since the arpeggio only appears on two occasions, as well as inverting the forcefulness of the punch with metallic percussive elements. Wolfs Forest closes side A with a great dose of originality, as Rise Black dedicates this track to this animal, with howls included and with an electronic sound background, electro in its purest state to vindicate the figure of the wolf.

Veneno (Version 2) opens side B with a lower level of dynamism than the previous tracks. On this occasion, it once again shows its electronic character and a slow cadence. Ugly But Cute is a cut with a bright sound and lacking in low frequencies, in which a neat rhythmic base is once again joined by two arpeggiated lines. Luz del Cielo is a track in which the impact of various styles can be appreciated and in which care is taken to ensure that its sonic nature is metallic and electronic. The album closes with Sad Goodbye, a new electro cut very appropriate to say goodbye to this series of releases.

Release date: February 7th, 2022.