CD, Notochord, 2006
www.anginap.net/8-rooms
Released through Notochord, “8 Rooms”, the first proper physical release to come from the one-woman project Angina P, is one of the best releases I’ve had the luck to enjoy throughout 2006, period. With that out of the way, let’s proceed with the actual review. Without any prior exposure to Angina P’s material, apart from the occasional name-dropping in mp3.com and Myspace, the only thing that made me somewhat expectant of this release was the fact that Notochord was involved, a label that has procured some very good material during its relatively short course in the scene.
While a short release, and with only 5 of the 8 tracks being original material (with 3 remixes by Edgey, Larvae and Semiomime), the album’s 45 minutes deliver a truly immersive musical experience. While alternating between soundscapes that are sometimes dark, sometimes melancholic, but always emotion provoking, Angina P provides pace and rhythm in patterns so solid and elaborate that the drums are no longer a backdrop for the sounds, but an intrinsic part of the entire aural trip that the album is. The 3 remixes found in the end part of the album are stellar, easily on par with the original tracks of the release, rather than filler, most probably due to the caliber of the artists responsible for the mixes.
Very energetic, without bordering on the too aggressive side of listens, “8 Rooms” is equally at home when listened on the go as sonic fuel for another day in Urban Hell, or while at home in a session of relaxing contemplation, with its deeply emotional and complex sound. Truly a marvelous piece of work, and a certain boost for Notochord’s standing as a label, “8 Rooms” is a definite purchase for positively everyone who is interested in good music, genres aside.
[9/10]
— George Mouratidis