GIGAS The Blondes (tape version)
When i first heard GIGAS i was stoned in a car watching the Canadian landscape pass by in Nova Scotia. What came through the car speakers was bass driven hypnotic tones and colors [The Blondes]. The tones and colors took me somewhere else, with little to no treble at all it sounded like how the yellow submarine movie looked. Someone referenced me to Weird Canada's review of the album, and i was shocked. The songs they have there are flat out annoying. It turns out the tape we got was poorly dubbed. When i was able to hear the vocals, what i heard was trying too hard to be some cheesy p4k pop. Instead of adding to the beautiful low drones, now were just like any other animal collective rip-off. Another addition of the treble was endless and headache inducing synthesizer riffs. The poor dub hides these imperfections well and the result is some fantastic music. If you weren't fortunate enough to get a poorly dubbed tape, check out the soundcloud examples above and below_Brandon William
GIGAS - Heat Wave
Above is an example of what GIGAS track actually sounds like, Though I'm not really feeling the mids and highs, they kinda ruin it for me. It may be muddier, but the Poor Dub is especially good to the vocals, which are not impressive but at least feel like they add more than they detract from the songs. Vocals certainly aren't the the band's strongest feature, Not to mention the bands over use of speeding up and slowing down their sequences. What Gigas is good at on the other hand is creating downtempto hooks, keeping the basslines interesting, droning, and this album does make a nice listen cruising stoned down Peggy's Cove. Though it left an impression on me for it's dump-wave via new wave aesthetic, this very chilly album, at times quite relaxing with its really bassy groves, wallows in a veritable grey area. Whereas Dump-wave outfit's like Milksnake whose individual sounds each add a splash of color and combine to a sort of rainbow-based sound collage, Gigas take dump-wave to a place that feels a bit more depressed and well dumpy. Not a completely bad place to be but i feel like it would have benefit from a little more black a white. Just something to contrast with the sludge._Mohamed El-Darwish
GIGAS - All Of My Friends
“The Blondes” is my first impression on the GIGAS, and just like the track I don’t have much to say, it wasn’t awe-inspiring, and reminds me of just another muddily recorded post psychedelic rock song. The bass is popping and the synth work is alright. The second track “Weird Phase” just sounds like muffled Pink Floyd vocs over the track “The Blondes”. I’m into “minimalist” not repetitiveness. These two tracks are not aesthetically pleasing, however, I’m still going to leave my ears open to other tracks by GIGAS, and not judge them solely on these two awful tracks._ Glenn La Race Jr.
GIGAS Weird Phase (tape version)
unfortunately, I've listened to the whole album and its more of the same. The appeal of a record like Tied Down To The Ones You Love is purely stylistic, but its not enough to make up weak content and bad vocals. 4.8
reviewed by Brandon William, Mohamed El-Darwish & Glenn La Race Jr. RADIATOR COLLECTIVE 2011
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