Silizium-Ich Bin Gothic

Artist: Silizium

CD Title: Ich Bin Gothic

Label: Future Fame Records

Released 12-21-12

Place: Heilbronn Germany

Genre: Gothic Electro

Silizium or translated from the German means Silicon and founded in 2007. Front man Mario Calabrese is Silizium. Trying to form a permanent band for working on stage, was however, not to be, so he decided to keep the name and work on a solo project and draft in accompanying musicians for the live performances. After spending a year with DarkMusix Records (Formerly Biohazard Records) in 2009 he then signed with Future Fame Records in 2010.

Building on this, he pushed his music to online webzines and radio stations where it was well received. Silizium has played a number of festivals, “Future Fame Fest” and “All-Horn Fest” the last, played for the first time in Silizium’s hometown of Neckarslum.

Ich Bin Gothic – I am Goth was funded due to Startnext.de a crowd-funding project, which allowed him to finance the album and on 21^st December 2012 was finally released.

Silizium takes on board a German rap style vocal, distorted voiceand rhythm structures, with styles of future pop and trance.

The haunting resonating rhythms and harsh German tones of Mario bring on a dream-like quality. I know I am biased, but I love the German language and dark electronic music too, and Silizium has just captured my attention especially on the track “Wie Veile Stunden” – (What time is it?) It is not only powerful but mesmerising and haunting, especially the vocal. It isn’t exactly harsh as I usually prefer, but the lilting German accent is just so delicious! You can actually wrap yourself up in the track and be soothed by its gripping array of rhythms and rich textures.

The Gothic theme continues with a haunting melody and rap style vocal that isn’t fast but slow (and in places harsh) so you can savour it in all its glory. Surrounded by a rich and ambient context and thus another beautiful track is created.

The rapping works extremely well despite people probably cringing as they read this although not in the traditional rap sense, this is superb and sung in a German accent as I mentioned previously, sounds so compelling and outstanding amid expressive synth. There are also more brutal moments of resonating, pulsating synth that bubble under the thickening rhythms and scintillating vocal, so much so it literally removes the breath from your lungs.

Holding a certain predatory stance it unleashes caustic unbridled spite, helped along by the German lingo, as it would not sound the same in boring English and not half as expressive! Sung to a rhythmic attack of sultry synth - what more could anyone ask for? It is contagious as it is overwhelming and just grows in stature amid very absorbing and influential rapid torrents, that stake their claim to the hypnotic intensity as it continues to bite.

“Schau nicht Weg” – (Don’t look away) sounds slightly like Falco, as the expressive clean and sophisticated vocal embellishes the ear to an invigorating piano, layered with complex, sculptured rhythms and leaves its haunting mark.

(Mario SILIZIUM Calabrese)

Despite being slow and ambient in places, this album is a stark reminder of sonic complexity and the tracks are just overwhelming, offering a refined quality that gives the listener something to chew on. “Nur weil ich Lachte” – (Only when I laugh) stakes a claim to being slightly harsher in tone and has a capturing presence as the superb synth spikes with a hypnotic swathe of beauty.

Prowling and predatory the superb “Weiter” – (Further) comes marching into view and hosts a mutated rhythmic synth that is enthralling amid a beautifully expelled vocal and catchy to the last note of its compelling swell of extremity.

The urgency that Mario brings to the tracks are dynamic, relentless and definitely worth sampling if you haven’t already that is. This album should without a doubt, gain Mario more fans with his subtle blend of Gothic sultriness which deserves to be shouted about from every rooftop possible, as it declares its eagerness to please and makes a big statement – Listen and see!

10/10

Take a Listen: Wie Viele Stunden? – How many hours?

Track List:

Ich Bin Gothic – I am Gothic

Wie Viele Stunden? – How many hours?

Alles wird gut – Everything is good

Sag mir warum – Tell me why?

Ich leg es ab – I put it off

Wahrheit - Truth

Kein zurück – No looking back

Schau nicht weg – Don’t look away

In der Nacht – In the night

Nur weil Ich Lachte – Only when I laugh

Weiter - Further

Du und Ich – You and I

Und Ich Weiss – and I know

Kieselstein - Pebble

Wie Magie – Like Magie

Am Ende – The End

Members:

Mario SILIZIUM Calabrese

Discography
2008     Between aggression and Love - MP3 Own production
2009     Do I Not Fit Into Your Puzzle – CD Biohazzard Records
2011     Black space - CD     Future Fame
2012     I'm Gothic – CD Future Fame

Buy-Silizium-Ich Bin Gothic