TELE$hopping, an artist/producer hailing from the Netherlands (Rotterdam, specifically), is here to craft an immersive, gloomy world of B-horror sound aesthetics through curated samples and modern, lumbering beats. Deferring to the artist’s self-assessment, “Hhexen is an exercise in world-building where witches, exorcism, and spirituality come together for drinks
and parties.” Ready to enter this ominous realm of black and white horror with contemporary sounds and ritualistic beats? Let’s hit the many highlights (or “fright-lights”) present on Hhexen.
What we’re digging (but not literally “digging” for fear of disturbing something….newly undead.)
Hhexen kicks off with “Winndows (ft. Amoud Verheul).” It starts with classic horror movie dialogue before a subtle synth slowly takes shape underneath. A beat arrives, as does threatening, filter-adjusted sounds and ominous aural aesthetics. You arrived, somewhat safely, but this world is very much the opposite of inviting.
The second track, “Every Biggie Thing He Does Is Magick (Intro)” – and yep, you’ll notice the consistent play on popular song titles with a scarier slant — begins with dialogue, transitions to mechanical swishes, and then lands on a foundational beat. There are quick clips here, like someone changing a channel; a great deal of white noise and static washes before this brief track diminishes.
“Gestichtthing (the teethmarkward gon’ ape)” begins with a siren, a staggering beat, and a metallic, phasing and electronic shimmering. Some dialogue outlines a horrific crime, and the music continues with dark strings and that warping electronic shimmer. And then…it simply ceases to be.
“Stiggmata” is the ambience of a room you never should have entered. With sounds that hang, flutter, and creep, the song’s brevity is your only means of escape.
“Cagevolta Dubstore,” one of the artist’s personal favorites, kicks off with horror movie dialogue and an electronic, reverse-tape cymbal shaking. You’re not simply watching a scene; you’re experiencing it – you’re in it. And the frantic cymbal washing and character screams make for a seriously disturbing experience.
“Donkere Maggie / Kazansoep” begins with ominous horror movie dialogue before the slow beat begins. And then, there’s a bit of chaos; a watery, electronic chorus hits, the beat becomes more pronounced, and the dialogue more unhinged, demanding, and intense. And then, it simply ends with its static-infused clapping and deep, watery churning.
“wWwitcHh (93 freak outs ’til Infinity)” is listless strings and filter-shaped ear worms. It’s character dialogue and a stuttering beat. It’s a distressed damsel entering a world that will most assuredly destroy her.
“s$say M’name s$say M’name (When Everyone Is Around You)” is a bit of an anomaly. It sounds like a sampled commercial jingle? A chopped and repeated excerpt from an ‘80s, guitar-led anthem? It contains a snippet of creepy dialogue, but returns to this interesting repeating segment. Call it a palate cleanser, or maybe a moment when one’s hope flickers long enough to maintain their brave but ultimately doomed descent.
“Ockult Girl Powder Gangrape (ft. Slow Ghosts)” is a clutching, lingering fear while one crosses some otherworldly waters. There are beats and buzzing bends, a feverish frequency tuning, and muffled mechanical churning – like one’s boat over said otherworldly waters may be…seizing. With more dialogue, the story continues, and the players are committed to portended horrendous fates.
“(i hate) It’s Like a Jungle Sometime$$$” begins with ominous breaths and echoing spaces. A muffled tribal beat arrives before desperately repeated dialogue (“I hate the jungle…and its humidity!”). With a subtle singing lost in these brutal, murky environs, this hasty sound-scene simply putters away….
The album ends, in a quirky manner, with “Sad To See Your Opacity Dropped Under 6% and All I Can Do Is Darken.” It begins with the recitation of the title in a meek, disturbed, radio-static-enveloped voice. It’s a veiled apology for minor graphic design particularities that can be obsessed over by overbearing clients. And with a constant pushing towards perfection, one can perhaps snap and ferociously respond by creating this very album.
But is it good?
Hhexen isn’t a simple collection of songs/samples/beats/snippets of chill-out, lo-fi electronica; Hhexen is an aural horror anthology. Hhexen is the many soundscapes of classic, celluloid-captured horror in all its various faces, forms, and mannerisms. Hhexen won’t let you leave alive, but it won’t have to subdue you – you’re there by your own doomed designs. We recommend it, highly, and if you’re feeling brave, we DARE you to experience it.
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BELOW: Listen to TELE$hopping and check them out on Bandcamp, YouTube, and Spotify. Please support TELE$hopping by visiting them online and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music. And, as always, thank you for supporting real music.
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