Lofter – Ulcer CS EP (Cherub Dream Records)

It’s always encouraging to see how some underground record labels are growing rapidly fast. Most artists would have a hard time managing publishing and the logistics of their releases without immense help from these record labels. Cherub Dream Records is one of those independent record labels that are evolving fast without losing on consistency and quality. It has been a couple of months since I wrote a couple of reviews for two cassette releases by Buddy Junior, and Cherub Dream Records managed to publish four new cassette releases since then. Ulcer EP by Lofter is one of their recent releases or fifth in the row, to be more precise. This particular recording showcases how Cherub Dream is an open-minded recording label that welcomes all branches of underground music.

Over the years, industrial music joined forces with experimental noise, and admirers of avant-garde sound are fully aware of these experimentations. Nearly the same happened with experimental noise and punk rock, so it seems these three ingredients are working like a charm altogether. Ulcer EP demonstrates the sheer power of these three elements, which are sounding relentless, ferocious, dynamic when they’re joining forces together in adequate quantities. It seems like Lofter nailed in their aims to harmoniously blend these three ingredients, mainly because these songs are encapsulating all the vital characteristics of industrial, noise, and punk rock music. You have repetitious machinery on the one side, brutal abrasiveness somewhere in the middle, and the energy of punk rock on the other side. However, the way these elements articulate is what makes Lofter fresh and unique.

Still, it seems like industrial and noise are taking sheer dominance over punk rock. There are loads of various experimental articulations, maneuvers, and acrobatics invading from every possible direction. You may also stumble upon some smaller chunks of glitch, EDM, darkwave, coldwave, synthwave, but these elements are just highlighting particular segments of the compositions. It seems like this material descends even more into experimental noise as the material proceeds, while the vocals are bursting with relentless aggression from scratch to finish. Lofter gradually becomes even harsher, darker, brutal, and this material might be suitable for admirers of the harsh noise sound. Still, you’ll fall in love with this material if you’re a die-hard fan of industrial music because these aesthetics are vividly hearable during the entire recording. Ulcer EP comes on a cassette tape, but it is also available on streaming services. However, cassette tape includes a cover of Terrible Lie, originally performed by Nine Inch Nails. Head over to Cherub Dream Records for more detailed information about ordering.