MOAAN EXIS - Transcendence

Serving out a meaty slice of industrial hardcore and techno rhythms comes the Frenchman known as MOAAN EXIS. The man began his pounding and pulsing career in early 2015 where he recorded his self-titled EP. The project signed to Industrial Strength Records to release his EP, but it wasn't until he began releasing his music via audiotrauma that he caught my ear. I was surprised by just how good his 2016 EP INVOK turned out to be and continued to be impressed when he released a twenty-five minute song titled 'Lumenum'bra'. Though in different style in comparison to his usual works, MOAAN EXIS did not make that twenty-five minutes of my life boring. 

We are now near the end of 2017 and MOAAN EXIS has released his debut full length album Transcendence. MOAAN EXIS is the type of producer who combines his techno rhythms with experimental industrial style as easily seen on the second track 'Tension' whereupon metallic clashes mix and mash with gritty synths. MOAAN EXIS is not afraid to rewire samples to create similar sounds for a new beat as seen the track that comes directly after 'Tension', 'Breathe'. The song contains a similar metallic and factory produced sound but the faster pace and dark, underground club vibe make the song its own beast.

There are a couple of different faces I saw from MOAAN EXIS on Transcendence, whether it was more rhythmic tracks such as 'From Earth' and the previously mentioned 'Tension', slower, atmospheric songs such as 'Mirror' and 'Bardo' which had some neat slices of cinematic ambiance, or the faster paced tracks such as the drum and bass riddled 'Daylight' or the title track 'Transcendence'. 

Label-mate VERIN also makes an appearance on Transcendence in the song 'Connection'. Throughout most of the album there is always a mechanical, bass sound. Whether or not this was the working of one producer or the other, 'Connection' comes off with a very sinister, at times tribal sound. A very solid build-up to the track leads up to that sinister tribal sound, with the last third of the track coming in full circle to sound like it fits on the album. That was all paired with dark whispers throughout the song. I was spooked. 

MOAAN EXIS has had one goal since day one: to make his music sound like the pure essence of rage and fury. While this certainly is not the hardest album I have ever heard in my life, the break-neck pace of the songs, the quiet, stunning spacial build-ups to more thumps, and an overall pummeling arch channeled those two emotions into one solid package. Transcendence is available to purchase on both CD and Vinyl, so what are you waiting for? 


Nov 17 2017