The twin temptation of Massa Confusa and Not Myself

By RingMaster Review on September 17, 2020 • ( 0 )

Pic: Beris Photography

With a common bond between the two, we recommend a couple of potent new tracks from Massa Confusa and Not Myself. The link is Ally Morton, a Durham hailing, Spain living vocalist/multi-instrumentalist/producer who across the two projects is behind a creative tempting impossible to ignore.

MASSA CONFUSA is an alternative rock post-punk encounter embracing the dark shades and melodic radiance of electronics enterprise. It is a solo proposition from Morton , though becoming a duo when playing the UK, which ventures into the dark realms of emotion and life yet as new track, Validation, reveals sheds a certain light on its findings which beguiles even as the venture provokes inner shadows.

Taken from the project’s upcoming new EP, Evolve, the swiftly compelling Validation looks at the need “to ‘validate’ ourselves through our profiles and likes on social media.” Instantly a lone melodic lure of guitar coaxes ears with a warm tempting yet it equally carries a darker essence with it which slowly grows as Morton’s post punk instincts rise through bass and the melodic resonance of guitar. Similarly his vocals cast a caliginous hue to the proposal, a monotone coated invitation as potent as the more agitated rhythms which rise up within the crystaline sprinkles from the guitar.

The track pretty much hit the spot from its first listen but simply became more addictive thereon in; a Fad Gadget meets early Dalek I Love You meets Play Dead like hue a further enthralling lining to its prowess.

NOT MYSELF sees vocalist/guitarist Morton as one quarter of a foursome alongside guitarist Aiur Retegi, bassist Joxe Caballero, and drummer Gorkatxain. They too spring a sound nurtured from post punk seeds but in collusion with an alternative rock inspired, melodic rock embracing enterprise.

Emerging in San Sebastián in 2018, Not Myself embrace the inspirations of bands such as Smashing Pumpkins, The Wytches, Placebo, Joy Division, Interpol, dEUS, The Fall, and Siouxsie and the Banshees in their own imagination driven invention. With a debut album in the works, the quartet have released the single Drown, a track which also immediately had intrigue and attention in compliance as a riveting bassline leads things in. The jangle of guitar and crisp shimmer of rhythms are soon in league with the tempting, Morton’s vocals equally a potent lure as the song shares a blossoming web of creative incitement.

There is something of a Clock DVA tinge to the song with a Wire-esque chill to its climate but firmly sets its own identity and individuality which hungrily enthralled.

As richly enjoyable as the Validation is, and a lingering temptation it has proven to be, Drown just got under the skin and into the passions, both tracks suggesting that Massa Confusa and Not Myself need to be given keen attention, of that we can only concur.

Both Validation and Drown are out now and available as a name your own price downloads from their respective Bandcamp pages @ https://massaconfusa.bandcamp.com/track/validation and https://notmyselfeh.bandcamp.com/releases

Check both bands out further @…

https://www.facebook.com/msscnfs https://twitter.com/massa_confusa

https://www.facebook.com/notmyselfeh https://twitter.com/notmyselfeh

Pete RingMaster 15/09/2020