BVRTH is the moniker for Derek Virta. He recently released a self-titled album BVRTH that blends a number of different genres like rock and electronic. Virta started young playing jazz but eventually got into other genres like post-punk, electronic and shoegaze, He even played with Christian Savill from Slowdive in a band called Dreamend.
The album gets going with “Oblivion” which utilizes instruments like slide guitar and unique electronic effects that sound like interstellar travel. I liked the juxtaposition and cosmic feel to the song. It was also fairly psychedelic in a similar way to The Beatles but not cerebral. If there is one critique I have on this album it’s that the low-end bass frequencies seemed to be a little overwhelming on this song.
“Warden” was a great track. I would say this song sounds like a mix between AIR and Primal Scream. The album XTRMNTR comes to mind. It’s an ecstasy laced song perfect for late nights that contain danger and enlightenment.
“You Walk Alone (feat. The Nurse)” contains vocals. This song felt a little more aligned with a band artist like Vitalic. The vocals were a good charge to keep the album interesting. “Stonesend” mixes lush, ambient soundscapes with grooves that lurk beneath the surface. It’s experimental but jazzy and simultaneously kind of eerie.
“Iljo” is a vertigo inducing percussive heavy track not unlike something you might hear from Aphex Twin. I loved the haunting xylophone on “Geauxst” which at first reminded me of being in an empty toy store at night for some reason. It’s the arguable highlight. “BRBDB” felt like a well rounded electronic track. “Eye Gouger” gets back into Aphex Twin Territory but it relies more on dissonance than before creating this bad trip type feeling. It’s also one of the highlights.
I really loved this album all the way through. Suffice it to say if you listen to some of the aforementioned artists you will probably feel the same way I do.
By Matt Jensen