CD, Edgetone Records, 2008
15dbz.crunchpod.com
15 Degrees Below Zero consists of Daniel Blomquist, Michael Addison Mersereau and Mark Wilson and “New Travel” appears to be their 8th release. While I can’t compare this to past output because this is my introduction to the band, I can admit to being quite impressed. 15 Degrees Below Zero take hold of the territory between droning ambiance and noise and meshes it together quite well.
Most of the ‘noise’ present in this release comes across as a soft blanket of sound and not an assault on your eardrums. “Westerward” has some very nice and soothing guitar work that kicks in after you get use to the layers of sounds woven in and out of each other for the first track and a half. However, it doesn’t last for long. The strangely titled “Catholic Hallway” begins with synths that move along in a heart beat fashion. This is present throughout the track, later on layered with the other sounds that trickle around the mix. “Sunday Drive” Contains some spastically played distorted and delayed guitars, occasionally breaking in the mix for bursts of noise. Not the calm end of the weekend ordeal most people make out of a Sunday drive I guess.
One of the things that impresses me so much about 15 Degrees Below Zero is the groups skill at mixing noise and ambient textures together in a very pleasing way. I also think that they tend to put their own unique slant on the styles of music they incorporate and they’re all the better for doing so.
[8/10]
— Charlie Martineau