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A Collection of Rarities and Previously Unreleased Material
Electronic · 2012 · 16 tracks

A Collection of Rarities and Previously Unreleased Material

John Maus

A decade of basement-recorded synth-pop sketches, where liturgical melodies collide with tape-saturated drum machines and existential baritone echoes.

July 16, 2012 · Ribbon Music

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This isn't just a collection of leftovers; it's a map of a singular mind's evolution. It sounds like a transmission from a 1980s public access channel that has been warped by decades of magnetic interference. The production is unapologetically lo-fi, with every track swaddled in a thick layer of tape hiss and cavernous reverb that makes John Maus sound like he is singing from the bottom of a well or a cathedral basement. It is music that feels both ancient and futuristic, blending the rigid structures of Renaissance polyphony with the cheap, plastic textures of early home-recording gear.

Tracklist · 16 Tracks
01
North Star
2:32
02
The Law
1:23
03
Castles in the Grave
2:15
04
Angel of the Night
2:04
05
Mental Breakdown
4:37
06
Bennington
3:13
07
Big Dumb Man
2:12
08
No Title (Molly)
3:09
09
Lost
2:49
10
All Aboard
2:51
11
This Is the Beat
2:23
12
My Hatred Is Magnificent
2:56
13
The Fear
2:46
14
Fish With Broken Dreams
2:56
15
Rock the Bone
2:49
16
I Don't Eat Human Beings
3:41
Moments Worth Listening For
The sudden shift from the upbeat synth-pop of No Title (Molly) to the skeletal, haunting Lost creates a jarring emotional pivot.
The way Bennington uses a simple, repetitive bass hook to build a sense of suburban dread and longing.
The distorted, overdriven vocal peak in The Law where Maus's baritone breaks into a desperate, echoing shout.
Reviews
BBC Music
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AllMusic
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Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does A Collection of Rarities and Previously Unreleased Material sound next to the rest of John Maus's catalogue?

Melancholic+4.0σ

Melancholic saturates this record far more than the artist's norm.

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