Cassette Review // Dave Allison "Hologram Hotel" (Custom Made Music)

$8 //
http://custommademusicva.com/release/hologram-hotel-cd-cassette/ //

One of the first things I like about this cassette before even pressing play is that it's what we called a "maxi-single" back in the day.   The first side has two songs and then the second side has the first song (which is the titular track) remixed two times over.   I feel like this might be something I'd find at Sam Goody on CD but, you know, I'm always going to prefer the cassette to the CD and it just makes you feel better than paying for a four-minute-per-side cassingle (which is still okay, in my book)

"Hologram Hotel" has big drumming and builds slowly, like it's brooding.   Words are spoken and there is singing at the same time.   Right away this song feels hypnotic and trippy, like something from "The Crow" soundtrack or possibly even "Lost Highway".    That steady beat is behind it all as you'll get trapped in the hook of: “Hologram Hotel / I know you / So well / You never / Disappoint me”

On the second song it begins quietly haunted.   Vocals come in with big drums and dark synths.   It's gothic and reminds me a bit of the song before it only without those Black Bra spoken word bits.   “Your eyes / they shine / too far away” is a great line and somehow this also reminds me of Nirvana.    I just feel like there is this quality of music which Dave Allison creates where genres become bended and that helps with it going from metal to grunge to its own beast.

The first of the two remixes has great beats like something out of "Resident Evil".    The second remix is a little over ten minutes long and both are by John Fryer, though I'm not sure what the different rooms mean other than it being in reference to the hotel.   It's slow and plodding on the second remix, like "Run Lola Run" as well, and I certainly feel like it would be worth your time to enjoy this cassette simply for the first song itself, but the second song and fact that there are two remixes as well just seem to make it that much more worthwhile.