Matt Christensen - Coma Gears (2014)

Matt Christensen has made a very strong name for himself over the years, recording music under his own name — his debut long-player A Cradle In The Bower was released on Under The Spire Recordings back in 2011 — but he’s been a main player in the group Zelienople. Zelienople has grabbed the attention of many over the years with their blend of art pop and shoegazing textures, managing to create a sound that is entirely their own.

Christensen continues the legacy of sound artistry he’s helped perfect in Zelienople with his second LP, Coma Gears. Riding similar currents as his other projects, Coma Gears touches upon very personal topics, washing over the listener with an honest sound that could only be created by this man.

Zelienople has always created haunting, sincere music; and you can truly sense the importance of Christensen‘s influence as he masters this passionate project of his own. Coma Gears is a gripping album, that will hold you firmly in place the entire listen. It’s not as delicate as one might expect, with such heavy atmosphere and bold dynamics.

It is fairly obvious upon immediate listening that this record is a classic, and Bathetic could not be more proud to release such an immensely deep and heartfelt piece of music as this, from such an astute and profound artist as Christensen.

Coma Gears serves as the follow up to the 2011 solo debut, A Cradle In The Bowery. While his first effort focused on the new role of father for Christensen, Coma Gears is based on family conflicts, the ending of childhood, inherited mental illness, drug abuse, and death. Specifically, the near death of Christensen‘s mother in 2012, a theme that runs through the entire record. Coma Gears was performed and recorded by Christensen at his Chicago home in 2013.

Tracklist:

1. Coma Gears (07:16)
2. Dumb God (04:26)
3. Worry (03:35)
4. California (04:17)
5. Starving (06:05)
6. Blame the World (04:25)
7. The Law Kind (05:20)
8. A Starting Song (04:03)