Dark Satellites - Be Still

Dark Satellites

Be Still
self-released; 2016

3.8 out of 5

BY Matt Jensen
​

Dark Satellites has mostly been Drew Rudebusch since about 2011. After some rotating members he released an eleven-song album entitled Be Still. Be Still is a well-crafted, distortion heavy rock/pop album. It’s also a DIY effort which resides in the upper echelon when it comes to the production. I’d say the aesthetics work for the album and although the bass drum could have been a little more defined and the snare could have had more sizzle there is a lot to appreciate.

The style has been attempted countless times before and Rudebusch sticks to a fairly basic setup of sounds. Luckily Rudebusch’s primary weapon is the songwriting. It’s consistently good and he always seems to have a couple of cool ideas in each song. Take for instance the opener. The vocals are catchy and drive the song but also really enjoyed his use of feedback. As the song progresses you get to a boiling point of intense frequencies that might make you freak out. Lyrically, the words are ambiguous to the point where I didn't have much of an idea of what the song was about. He sings, “And in my frail, young mind I visualize Stalagmites rise, impaling through my eyes / The landscape catches the glowing ashes of sinners, heretics, and snakes that slither on the ground. “

​You can make comparisons to an artist like Ty Segall on “Flyover” which is straightforward yet frantic garage rock. “Population 3810” pumps like a stuttering heartbeat while “The Unreal Thing” is quite epic and heavy. Rudebusch makes some keen existential observations. He sings, “If life is all a dream, am I untrue? In my head, I shape a world anew / What’s real, if not the chemicals inside my mind?”

“Real Eyes” is a short, psychedelic piece that felt like an intro to the second half of the album. “White Gold”, “NoFakes” and “Strange Song” all rock out in different types of ways. I especially enjoyed the guitar worked mixed with synths on “Strange Song.”.

He closes with a highlight entitled “Just Dropped Out”. which contains some of his best vocal work. There is a very cosmic and nostalgic feel to this song. Great stuff.

Be Still has some minor mishaps but not many. Overall it is a good off-kilter guitar album from beginning to end.

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