The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Month
  • Books + Movies
  • About
16
new
SPILL NEW MUSIC: THE DIRTY NIL – “SPIDER DREAM”
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SUZI MOON – TURBULENT HEARTS: ALL OUT
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SPARKS – MAD!
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CLARA JOY – WHAT WE HAVE NOW
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: HOWARD JONES – PIANO COMPOSED IVORY & PIANO COMPOSED SPIRIO
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SEDONA – GETTING INTO HEAVEN
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JESS KERBER – “FROM WAY DOWN HERE”
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: POST DEATH SOUNDTRACK – IN ALL MY NIGHTMARES I AM ALONE
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: SESSANTA: PRIMUS, A PERFECT CIRCLE & PUSCIFER @ BUDWEISER STAGE, TORONTO
SPILL FEATURE: WHEN EVERY NOTE GOES UNDER THE MICROSCOPE – A CONVERSATION WITH HOWARD JONES
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: CDSM – “SHOCKABLE RHYTHM”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: AYSANABEE RELEASES NEW TRACK “HOME” FROM UPCOMING ALBUM ‘EDGE OF THE EARTH’ OUT JUNE 20 ON ISHKŌDÉ RECORDS
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: MINISTRY w/ MY LIFE WITH THE THRILL KILL KULT & DIE KRUPPS @ PALACE THEATRE, SAINT PAUL (MN)
SPILL NEWS: CHARLOTTE DE WITTE ANNOUNCES “NO DIVISION” FROM LONG-AWAITED DEBUT ALBUM OUT NOVEMBER 7 | 6 NEW YORK SHOWS IN 4 DAYS
SPILL NEW MUSIC: DAN PALLOTTA – “WORKING MAN’S SON”
SPILL FEATURE: FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE WE LIKE IT REALLY STUPID LOUD – A CONVERSATION WITH OLIVER ACKERMANN OF A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Month
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • Track Of The Day
    • Track Of The Month
    • Books + Movies
    • About
Album Reviews
387
previous article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: INTERVALS - THE WAY FORWARD
next article
SPILL TRACK OF THE DAY: IVAN BEECROFT - "YOU CAN'T TAKE MY SOUL"

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SPC ECO – CALM

SPC ECO

SPC ECO
Calm
Tapete Records

Shoegazers rejoice; SPC ECO is back at it again. It’s been ten years since the release of their debut album, 3D, and the duo consisting of Rose Berlin (vocals and lyrics) and Dean Garcia (multiple instruments and producer of the album) can now count the release of their ninth album, Calm. Don’t let the name fool you though; this album is so much more than what it implies.

Many remember Garcia for his involvement in the band Curve and fans have since followed him in his transition to making music with his daughter, Berlin. But don’t let that worry you, these two work together to produce unique, hard driving, yet atmospheric music. There are a number of guests on this and their previous albums, but Berlin’s vocals and Garcia’s music remain the real stars here. On this album, SPC ECO is joined by Jarek Leskiewicz (guitar, drones, ambience and bass), Perry Pelonero (guitars on “Out Of Sight”) and Justin Welch (drums on “Out of Sight”).

The album kicks off with a wall of sound. “Out Of Sight” is an apt title. Garcia comes at you with a force not found in nature while Berlin delivers almost wistful vocals, and it works. You do not get a chance to catch your breath before you are kicked into “All The Voices”. And again, the title seems to sum up the music. It is a brilliant follow-up and the album continues from there.

To categorize this music is difficult. Garcia brings his over two decades of playing with various artists and styles so the music is multi-layered. It is hard techno at times, and other times it is ‘90’s dance music. It is all over the place. The only consistent is Berlin’s vocals, which remain constant throughout. She is able to find her voice in each song and this is the absolute treat of the album. “Ghosts” gives the listener a break from the grind and demonstrates their ability to delve into other sounds, I just wish there was more of it throughout the album.

This is the only downside of the album. Although a variety of genres are blended throughout, the album does not have a great deal of variety, and it is only until the end of the album that one is grounded with the stunning and somewhat dark and heavy, “Hours”. This is a highlight of the album and the absolute perfect ending to this album.

Overall, a great album, sometimes difficult to grapple with, but worth the effort. It is melodic and at times it assaults your sense. But it is all in the mix for SPC ECO. Calm is its own album and their own style. Fans of Curve and SPC ECO will not be disappointed. And who knows, it may even win over some new fans.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016 soundcloud_flat_2016

Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SPC ECO – CALM

Author

Aaron Badgley

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
—
7.0
Total Spill Rating
—
Total Fan Rating
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewsall the voicescalmout of sightspc ecotapete records
album reviews, all the voices, calm, out of sight, spc eco, tapete records
About the Author
Aaron Badgley
Born and raised in Whitby, Aaron discovered music through his love of The Beatles. This led to a career in radio, writing for various publications, and ultimately a radio show about The Beatles (Beatles Universe), which ran for over four years. When not immersed in music, Aaron enjoys spending time with the loves of his life -- his wife Andrea, and daughters Emily and Linda (all of whom have an intense love of music too).
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewsall the voicesspc eco
 
7.0
suzi moon
10

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SUZI MOON – TURBULENT HEARTS: ALL OUT

by Gerrod Harris on May 23, 2025
SUZI MOON TURBULENT HEARTS: ALL OUT PIRATES PRESS RECORDS Before she was the Suzi Moon, she was Suzi Moon, singer and guitarist of the punk power trio, Turbulent Hearts. Formed in 2010, the band had originally released three EPs – Panic (2017), [...]
 
10
Sparks

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SPARKS – MAD!

by Joseph Mastel on May 23, 2025
SPARKS MAD! TRANSGRESSIVE RECORDS For over 50 years, brothers Ron and Russell Mael, known as Sparks, have given us some of the most invigorating music, seemingly tackling every genre in their way, with ease. Their newest album, MAD!, is another [...]
 
9.0
Clara Joy

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CLARA JOY – WHAT WE HAVE NOW

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 23, 2025
CLARA JOY WHAT WE HAVE NOW SHIMMY-DISC Neither NYC singer-songwriter Clara Joy nor Kramer, the man behind Shimmy-Disc are newbies on the music scene (Kramer quite a bit longer), and it might have taken them time to cooperate, but on What We Have [...]
 
9.0
Howard Jones

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: HOWARD JONES – PIANO COMPOSED IVORY & PIANO COMPOSED SPIRIO

by Aaron Badgley on May 23, 2025
HOWARD JONES PIANO COMPOSED IVORY & PIANO COMPOSED SPIRIO CHERRY RED RECORDS Howard Jones never really does what you would expect him to do. He has returned to classical music with the Piano Composed albums, one called Ivory and the other [...]
 
8.0
Sedona

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SEDONA – GETTING INTO HEAVEN

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 23, 2025
SEDONA GETTING INTO HEAVEN INDEPENDENT If you are a Los Angeles singer-songwriter through and through and you are coming up with your debut album, it just might come as no surprise that your music just might be a combination between 70s Laurel [...]

Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SUZI MOON – TURBULENT HEARTS: ALL OUT
7.0
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SPARKS – MAD!
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CLARA JOY – WHAT WE HAVE NOW
9.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: HOWARD JONES – PIANO COMPOSED IVORY &...
9.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SEDONA – GETTING INTO HEAVEN
8.0

STAY UP-TO-DATE
WITH OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!

Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Newsletter
  • Premieres
  • SPILL RETRO REVIEWS
  • Track Of The Month
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2024 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL CONTEST: WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO SEE ACTORS AT LEE’S PALACE ON MAY 3!
510
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BRYAN FERRY & AMELIA BARRATT – LOOSE TALK
479
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MUMFORD & SONS – RUSHMERE
479
 
SPILL FEATURE: A NEW ERA OF CAR SEAT – A CONVERSATION WITH SETH DALBY, ETHAN IVES & ANDREW KATZ OF CAR SEAT HEADREST
430
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JETHRO TULL – CURIOUS RUMINANT
400
 
SPILL CONTEST: WIN A MEET-AND-GREET PACKAGE TO SEE ALESSIA CARA AT ROY THOMSON HALL ON MAY 15!
391
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JIMMY PAGE & THE BLACK CROWES – LIVE AT THE GREEK (25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION)
369
 
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: SLAMDINISTAS – “WHERE I BELONG”
365
 
SPILL FEATURE: IT JUST FEELS LIKE WE’RE A LITTLE MORE IN CHARGE – A CONVERSATION WITH CRISPIAN MILLS OF KULA SHAKER
359
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PETER MURPHY – SILVER SHADE
355
 
SPILL CONTEST: WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO SEE EBO TAYLOR AT THE CONCERT HALL ON APRIL 13!
342
 
SPILL FEATURE: IN THE MEANTIME – A CONVERSATION WITH JONNY CRAGG OF SPACEHOG
321
 
SPILL CONTEST: WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO SEE SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD ON MARCH 21 AT LEE’S PALACE!
304
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES